


The Captain and the Hanyo

by goshinote



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 170,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27395944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goshinote/pseuds/goshinote
Summary: In a world in which youkai have been forced into hiding after the Great War, Captain Higurashi is known as one of the cruelest youkai-hunting pirates. After Captain Higurashi kidnaps Inuyasha, a prized hanyo, a plan is set in motion. Inuyasha will find out Captain Higurashi is nothing like the stories say, and he will discover that nothing is truly as it seems...Originally posted to FFN on 4/9/2020 and completed on 10/9/2020
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	1. Destiny Begins

_**The Captain and the Hanyo** _

_**** _

**Chapter 1: Destiny Begins**

_After the War:_

_In the days before the Great Human-Youkai War, humans and youkai lived in relative peace. The two populations seldom interacted, but it was not out of fear or malice. Humans had stopped fearing youkai long ago, ever since youkai had stopped hunting humans for food. The change had come slowly, but humans were grateful for it._

_Then everything changed._

_There was a rogue youkai that attacked a prominent human village. It was the first youkai attack on humans in one-hundred years, and its results were tragic. It was a surprise attack that allowed no time for preparation, so the entire village was slaughtered._

_On that day, the fear of youkai that had long been dispelled immediately came back._

_Due to the advancements of human technology and weapons along with the eventual return of practicing miko, it was much easier for humans to attack and kill youkai. The altercation turned into an all-out war of which humans were successful._

_From the end of the war on, youkai were hunted, killed, or sold off for sport and parts to make weapons._

_Eventually, the number of youkai in the world diminished, and they were forced into hiding._

_In the present day, pirates were the ones most known for hunting youkai, and they reigned as masters of the sea and masters of killing._

_Although no one knew it yet, the world was on the brink of changing again, and fate rested in the hands of two unlikely allies._

_This is their story._

O.o.O.o.O

Waves crashed in the open sea and salt water permeated the air. The overwhelmingly pleasant sight brought a smile to the captain's face.

_This is home…_

"Captain Higurashi, we're close to port."

Captain Higurashi nodded. "Thank you, Miroku. Prepare the crew."

The crewman bowed. "Yes, sir."

The captain turned back to gaze at the waves.

_I'm coming for you, silver-haired hanyo. I_ will _find you._

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha huddled in a dark, dirty alleyway. Glancing around, he made sure no one had followed him.

He pulled out the loaf of bread he'd just stolen; he felt guilty about it, but he had to eat and it was his only option.

After he'd devoured his first bite of food in nearly two days, he peered around again before jumping up onto the roof of the closest building.

His hanyo legs propelled him up as he bounced from rooftop to rooftop, making sure he wasn't seen.

He was a legend in his own right.

He was the second son of the great Inu no Taisho, whose death was still mourned in the underground youkai community even four-hundred years after he'd passed.

It was his father's strength running in his blood that kept Inuyasha alive.

He was the last known hanyo still alive. After the human victory during the Great Human-Youkai War, youkai had been dying off slowly. Human weapons had become too advanced, and with the right skill and big enough number, almost any youkai was more than likely to be destroyed. In the fifty years since the war, weapons had continued their advancements, so there were very few youkai left.

Youkai had become rare; they were considered an engendered species. The Great War had made sure of that.

Because of their rarity, they were often captured and sold in black markets.

Inuyasha knew that youkai bones and skin were used to enhance weapons, which is why youkai had become such a valued good.

Inuyasha scoffed. _Youkai are goods...luxuries...what has this world come to?_

Somehow, Inuyasha had found a way to survive. He lived an underground life, with the bare minimum of any contact with anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. It was too dangerous for youkai to travel or gather together, and humans were too dangerous to be around. If they didn't attack a youkai with their weapons, they would try to sell them to a pirate.

Very rarely, his brother found a way to contact him to see if he was still alive.

Occasionally, Inuyasha would pretend it was because his brother was concerned for his well-being, but he knew that it was just to get a population number. Since his father died, his older brother, Sesshomaru, had taken over as the Inu no Taisho. Since the youkai community was so small and Sesshomaru was so powerful, he had taken over as the ruler of all youkai.

Despite Sesshomaru's cold reputation, he was good at what he did. Inuyasha knew it was his way of ruling that had kept the few living youkai alive. Sesshomaru was calculating and strong. He knew how to survive and he knew how to help other youkai survive...if he got to them in time.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were the last surviving members of the inu-youkai clan.

The dogs had died off over the years. Inuyasha's kind was seen as especially valuable, so they'd been the first ones targeted once youkai hunting had become a well-paying sport.

Inuyasha perched on the top of a tall building. He gazed out into the ocean, wishing there was some way to escape the horrors.

No. Not escape.

_Fight._

He'd just found out about the last inu-youkai that had been captured and killed.

It had come down to the wire between the two most notorious pirates of the decade.

In the end, Captain Naraku had been victorious. He was known for torturing demons to the point that even if they were captured alive, they were presumed dead as soon as they were taken onto the ship.

Inuyasha clenched his hands into fists.

_I'll kill him someday…_

Despite his hatred for Captain Naraku, there was a different pirate he hated the most.

This pirate was known as the most dangerous, vilest, and cruelest pirate that currently sailed the seas.

Captain Higurashi.

No one knew Higurashi's first name. No one knew what he looked like. His signature was a handkerchief covering his face during any and all raids. The only way anyone could recognize Captain Higurashi was by the bright, piercing blue eyes that would glare over the handkerchief.

Inuyasha hated him. The hanyo wasn't one to back down from a fight, but even Higurashi made him uneasy. He had seen painted portraits of the captain and the sight of those blue eyes haunted him. There was a rumor that Higurashi was some kind of wizard or sorcerer, but Inuyasha didn't believe that for a second. He was just evil.

He hated himself for not fighting Higurashi every time he got word of the most recent place his ship had ported.

Instead, he ran like a coward. But what else was there to do? Die? Allow himself to be killed?

He couldn't. He wouldn't let himself off that easily.

So he lived his life on the run.

He sighed and lay back on the roof of the building as the sun began to set.

_At least I'm alive…_

O.o.O.o.O

Captain Higurashi prepared himself for the trip into a small village on the coast. As usual, he docked the ship on a vacant beach to remain inconspicuous during their brief stop.

Higurashi never stayed longer than one night in a village, but he'd heard word that there might be a youkai in this village.

From what Higurashi had heard, it was the one he had been looking for since day one.

_Inuyasha._

The silver-haired, golden-eyed inu-youkai was a prize to find during those days. Almost all pirates were youkai-enslavers, so the population of youkai had diminished significantly in the last fifty years since the sport began.

Higurashi frowned as he dressed to go out into the village. He had a mission, and he needed to stay focused.

Once Higurashi was dressed in his usual undercover attire, he called for his two most trusted comrades.

Sango and Miroku were also dressed for the excursion, so they set off shortly after.

The captain smiled as they made their way to the village.

_See you soon, Inuyasha._

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha woke up the next morning in a bad mood. _I already know today is gonna suck and today hasn't even_ started _yet,_ he grumbled to himself.

He huffed and sat up, stretching his limbs and wincing at the tightness in his body.

Sleeping on roofs of tall buildings was fine and all for a little while, but it eventually got pretty old.

As usual, he tied his long, silver hair back and put on his cloak. He tossed the hood up and peered down to see if anyone was milling around at the bottom of the building.

It was still early, so the street was fairly vacant.

Hopping down silently, he began to make his way to the edge of town. He'd been in this village for nearly two weeks, which was the longest he'd ever stayed in one place.

As much as he hated to admit it, he actually liked this place. It was a massive hub, so it was easy to blend into the crowd. Vendors were everywhere, so it was easy to steal food he needed. He never took more than was absolutely necessary for survival; he was a youkai, not a monster.

But the time had come for him to leave. He adjusted his hood once more and then began to walk toward the edge of the town.

A thick, lush forest sat right up against the very edge of the town. It was how Inuyasha had entered, and it was how he would leave.

As soon as he passed the tree line, he cautiously flared his yoki to find the small house he knew was nearby.

When he found the responding surge of power, he ran on silent feet toward the source. Once he'd approached the location of the second aura, he looked around before entering the barrier.

Totosai was the only youkai aside from himself around these parts. It wasn't safe to have more than two youkai in one place, but Totosai was old and powerful. No human, or even miko, would be able to find Totosai's hidden house.

"Totosai?" Inuyasha called as he approached the revealed house. "You here, old man?"

The front door opened and an elderly man appeared. "There you are, my boy. I was expecting you to come. There's something ominous on the wind today."

Totosai held the door open so Inuyasha could enter the house. Inuyasha gave Totosai's cow a quick pat on the head before going inside.

"What do you mean?" the hanyo asked.

Totosai shook his head. "I don't know."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh, are you losing your mind in your old age?"

The old man chuckled. "Perhaps I am."

Totosai was one of the oldest existing demons. He'd forged the sword Inuyasha carried, as well as the two Sesshomaru carried. Totosai had been a comrade of Inuyasha's father before his death, so he was more like an old, weird, extended uncle.

It was part of why he'd stayed in this village for so long, but it was also why he was leaving that day. He didn't want to put Totosai in any greater danger than he already was.

Inuyasha suddenly felt a pinch on his neck. He reacted immediately by slapping the skin.

A weak moan of pain was his response. Inuyasha rolled his eyes as the flea-youkai began falling.

The hanyo caught him in his hand and glared.

"Myoga," he growled. "What have I told you about sucking my blood?" He gave the flea a warning squeeze.

"Master Inuyasha!" Myoga cried. "Would you squish one such as I?"

Inuyasha pretended to consider it. "Ya know, maybe I would."

Totosai cut in. "Stop, you two. I swear you both act like children."

Inuyasha chuckled and relinquished his hold on Myoga. The old flea took in a relieved breath of air before addressing Inuyasha again.

"Your blood just tastes so delicious," Myoga explained. "So much like your father's…"

Inuyasha grimaced. "Just quit doing that. Why are you even here? Weren't you supposed to be doing a census for Sessho?" Myoga rolled his eyes.

"You know your brother dislikes that nickname," Myoga scolded. "You need to treat him with more respect, boy."

Inuyasha smirked. "I know he hates it. Why else would I do it?"

He dropped Myoga to the floor and went to sit down at Totosai's table.

"What brings you here, my boy?" Totosai asked as he joined him at the table.

Inuyasha hesitated. "I'm leaving today."

Totosai frowned. "Why? This village is so safe." Myoga, obviously having recovered from Inuyasha's rough treatment, jumped up to join the two at the table.

"Why do you refuse to stay here with Totosai?" Myoga asked. "You would be more than safe."

Inuyasha looked away. "You know every pirate is after me. I can't put anyone in danger. I need to keep moving."

Totosai heaved a heavy sigh. "Where will you go?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I'll probably stay in the forest awhile. I might go to Malinia. It's another big city that's about a four day run from here. It's an even longer walk for humans. No one would follow me."

Totosai didn't say anything for a moment. Maintaining his silence, he stood up and grabbed a cloth bag and began filling it with food and other items.

"Fine," Totosai said curtly. "But you'll be taking things with you." Inuyasha tried to argue, but Totosai cut him off. "Don't fight me on this, boy!"

Inuyasha slumped back in his chair as Totosai continued to fill the bag. Once the task was complete, the old man handed it to Inuyasha.

"You better stay alive, my boy," Totosai chided. "No dying allowed, you hear?"

Inuyasha nodded, his desire to argue gone. This was just the way it had to be. No point in fighting it.

"Thank you, Totosai," Inuyasha said sincerely. "I appreciate it."

Totosai smiled. "I would say to come and visit soon, but that's the opposite of what you should do. We will meet again one day, Inuyasha. Of that, I am certain."

Inuyasha bowed to the old man and rose from the table.

Myoga hopped up on Inuyasha's nose. The hanyo was surprised that he didn't feel a pinch or the sensation of having his blood sucked.

Instead, Myoga patted his nose. "Your father would be proud of you, Master Inuyasha. Of that, _I_ am certain."  
Inuyasha blushed. "Don't go getting all sappy on me, you old flea." Myoga snuck in one last suck of blood. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and flicked him off.

He made his way to the door and turned back to Totosai. "Thanks for everything, Totosai. I...I'll see you someday."

Inuyasha quickly left the house, suddenly finding it incredibly hard to leave. It had to be done, though. There was no use in dragging out the inevitable.

After giving Totosai's cow a parting pat on the head, Inuyasha set off.

Once he'd made sure no one was on the other side of the barrier, he stepped out.

Glancing back one more time at Totosai's now invisible house, he shook his head and escaped into the forest.

He'd only been walking for a few minutes when he heard a snapping branch and a scream.

His ears perked up under his hood as he froze. He peered around, recognizing the scream as a woman's, before hopping up into the nearest tree.

He silently jumped from tree to tree as he approached the source of the noise.

After just a moment, he found a woman sitting on the ground, her hands clutching her ankle and the smell of tears marring her scent.

Inuyasha could only stare at her for a moment. Her back was to him, so all he could see was her cloaked back and a few strands of black hair escaping from the hood. Her body shook slightly with quiet sobs.

Guilt and hesitation hit him all at once. He was inclined to help her, but he didn't want to risk being caught.

_It's too dangerous,_ he resolved. _I'm sure she'll be fine. It's close enough to the town that someone is bound to find her eventually._

Before he could move to jump away, a face flashed in his mind.

_Mother…_

His mother was human, and try as he might, he just couldn't bring himself to hate humans. He would never admit it, but he had a touch of a soft spot for them. He was part human, even though he wasn't a full one.

His mother was a human, just like this girl.

_Why do I feel like I'm gonna regret this?_

Inuyasha adjusted the hood over his hair and ears one more time before silently jumping down from the tree. He paused for a moment, not wanting her to realize he had just dropped down from an alarming height.

Finally, he moved out from behind the tree and toward the woman.

She wasn't sobbing anymore; it had died down to sniffling and a trace scent of tears.

"Oi, are you injured?" he called.

The woman jumped and whipped her head around to stare at him.

He tried to keep the hood over his head enough to create a shadow over his eyes. Golden eyes weren't common in humans, but it was better than his hair being seen.

Silver hair on a twenty-something looking man wasn't gonna sell it in the event of an emergency.

"Don't come closer," the woman said, her voice shaky, "I...I have a knife!"

Inuyasha had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "I'll stay right here. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

The woman frowned at him and looked away. "I just hurt my ankle a bit. I'm fine."

Inuyasha eyed her wince as she jostled her ankle as she tried to stand up. Her ankle gave out on her immediately, and she crumpled to the ground with a cry of pain.

Inuyasha did roll his eyes that time.

"Let me help you, woman. No use letting your pride harm you anymore than you already are."

The woman finally nodded. "Okay," she relented.

Inuyasha approached her further in order to help her to her feet.

She reached out her hand to him, and when their fingers touched, Inuyasha was roughly thrown back against a tree several meters away.

The wind was knocked out of him, and when he hit the ground, he found that he couldn't move.

He growled and willed his limbs to move, but nothing happened.

"What did you do?" he bellowed as he heard her stand up. "Are you some kind of witch?"

A light chuckle invaded his senses. "Aren't you kind? I appreciate you helping me in my time of need." His eyes widened when he heard no indication of a limp from her "injured" ankle.

_She was lying!_

Her footsteps came closer as she stared down at him with a smile on her face.

"Inuyasha," she said. "I've finally found you."

She bent down next to him and pulled her hood down. Thick, black hair cascaded down her shoulders as she revealed her face.

When she met Inuyasha's gaze, his heart stopped.

_No, no, no, no!_

He'd never seen the eyes of the feared Captain Higurashi, but as he gaped into the crystal clear blue eyes of the woman, he knew there was no mistake. Her aura hit him all at once, and he was amazed that someone had the power to suppress themselves like that.

Captain Higurashi was more dangerous than Inuyasha could have ever imagined.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the woman said as she noticed his recognition. "I'm Captain Higurashi. You're going to be of great use to me."

Inuyasha wasn't one to let fear win, but at the moment, it felt like he was losing.

"How are you...what's going on?" he stuttered. "You're a girl?"

Captain Higurashi laughed. "I'm a _woman._ "

And then everything went black.

O.o.O.o.O

Higurashi examined the unconscious hanyou below her. After removing his hood, she saw the silver hair that symbolized his heritage.

She smiled. _Finally...it took ten years, but I somehow found him._

Once she made sure he was completely incapacitated, she put up a quick barrier to shield his body from any passing humans while she went off to find Miroku and Sango.

As she made her way to the meeting point, she had to resist the urge to twirl in her floor-length dress. That was one thing that was good about traipsing around as a man; she could use her usual looks when she needed to be undercover or just needed a break from the ship.

The only way she could have respect as a pirate and captain was to keep up her disguise as a man. The only people that knew she was a woman were Miroku and Sango. Not even the rest of her crew knew.

She twirled a lock of her long hair and sighed. _I really miss being able to wear my hair down like this, but I certainly do have priorities that are much more important than my hair._

Higurashi smiled and began to move quicker. She could hardly believe that it had been so easy to capture Inuyasha.

There was a twinge of guilt, but what else could she have done? She _needed_ the legendary hanyo. That's just the way it was.

When she finally met up with Miroku and Sango, her bright smile revealed that the mission had been successful.

"Excellent!" Miroku said. "Way to go, Captain!"

Higurashi laughed. "You know it's okay to actually call me by name when the crew isn't around."

Sango rolled her eyes. "He knows. He's just being stupid."

Miroku chuckled before addressing Higurashi again. "Of course, _Kagome._ Now, shall we go and gather up the prize?"

Kagome frowned. "Don't call him that. You know better."

She began walking, not waiting for the others to follow.

Miroku and Sango quickly caught up. "You're right," Miroku admitted. "I apologize. I get so used to the pirate talk that I sometimes forget...you know."

Kagome sighed. She _did_ know. They all did.

The young captain smiled again. "I know. Let's go get him."

They hurried off.

o.O.o

Later that afternoon, Higurashi had donned her usual captain's attire. It had taken a few minutes to adjust to her trousers after the freedom her dress had offered, but she acclimated quickly. She pinned her hair up and hid it under her usual captain's hat and threw on her oversized jacket to hide her figure.

She'd used a cloaking barrier to hide the presence of herself, her crewmen, and Inuyasha as they hurried back to the ship. They'd had to pause a little ways off from the ship so Kagome could change back into her captain clothing.

Once she was dressed, they brought Inuyasha onto the ship and got him settled in Kagome's quarters. Her room was the largest, so there was plenty of room. They got him settled on an extra cot she'd bought specifically for this purpose.

Kagome kept her paralysis charm on Inuyasha as she went about tidying up. She knew he would try to fight the charm when he woke up, and Kagome didn't want to risk him breaking it. He was a son of the old Inu no Taisho. Kagome respected him and knew that he wasn't someone to be underestimated.

Kagome instructed Miroku and Sango to inform the crew that they'd captured Inuyasha and to prepare to set sail that night. She didn't want to risk it and stay any longer than they needed to.

Knowing it would be awhile before he woke up, Kagome exited her chambers and made her way to Sango's room, hoping she'd already returned from her instructions.

To Kagome's relief, a moment after she knocked on the door, Sango opened it. Sango nodded in greeting. "Captain."

In customary greeting, Kagome returned the gesture. "May I come in, Sango?"

Sango opened the door all the way in invitation. Kagome entered quickly and plopped down onto her back on her best friend's bed.

She sighed and closed her eyes. She heard the bed creak a bit as Sango sat down next to her.

"We're one step closer," Sango commented. "Why do you seem upset?" Kagome opened her eyes and looked at her.

"I'm not upset, per say," she explained. "I guess I'm just...overwhelmed." She sat up and ran a hand down her face.

Sango nodded her understanding. "We've been searching for him for _years_. It's understandable to be a little uncertain of how to react."

Kagome leaned back on her hands and took a deep breath. "Now it means we have to convince him to help us. We're one step closer to putting our plan in action. I guess I'm just...a little scared."  
Sango frowned. "The great Captain Higurashi is scared?" she said lightly, trying to lighten Kagome's spirits. "The ten year pirate veteran is afraid? No way."

That got a smile from Kagome. "You know, right now I still feel like the little fifteen-year-old girl that somehow got a crew behind her and became a pirate. I really couldn't have done it without you and Miroku."

Sango smiled. "Remember when it was just the three of us? All we had was that little dinghy boat until we somehow managed to take over that pirate ship."

Kagome laughed. "Remember how shocked they were when we just showed up? You were swinging Hiraikotsu around and Miroku and I were blasting power left and right." She giggled. "I'll never forget the looks on their faces."

Sango laughed along with her. "I think fear is what made them start trusting us. Lucky for us it changed along the way."

Sango sighed. "I don't know how we did it, honestly. Just a few kids trying to escape…"

Kagome set a comforting hand on Sango's knee. "Who would have thought we'd make it here."

A moment later, Kagome felt a twinge of power at the edge of her senses. She rose immediately and began to make her way to the door.

"Inuyasha is stirring," she announced quickly. "I have to get in there. I'll let you know what happens."  
Sango nodded. "Good luck!" she called as Kagome headed to her quarters.

O.o.O.o.O

Hours later, Inuyasha finally felt himself regaining consciousness. Upon feeling that he was still unable to move, he growled.

He tried to fight the charm, but it was too strong. He closed his eyes and focused on the power.

_This feels like spiritual power...could Higurashi be a priest...er, miko?_ He shook his head. _I know there's always been a rumor about sorcery, but this is crazy. How did I let this happen?_

He looked around as much as he could and saw his sword and Totosai's bag on the other side of the room. He groaned and cursed Higurashi.

He heard footsteps outside the room and tried once again to escape before the captain entered. Of course, it was pointless. He kept his guard up as she entered the room.

When Higurashi entered, he was surprised...the captain was dressed as a man again. "You're awake. Good."

Inuyasha growled. "What are you planning?" he bellowed. "Why am I here? Let me go!"

"Alright, enough!" the captain shouted when his yelling continued to get louder. "I get it! You're mad. Let me explain!"

Inuyasha growled. "Why do you look different? You were a woman before. Are you a shapeshifter?"

The captain sighed and took off the hat. Inuyasha stared as Higurashi pulled the pin from a big pile of hair and let the long locks fall down her back.

"I _am_ a woman," she explained as she sat down on her bed across from the cot. "I live my life as a man so I can maintain my reputation as a pirate. It's a screwed-up situation and a messed-up society, but that's just the way it is. You are one of three people in this world that know, so I ask for your discretion."

Inuyasha glared at her. "Why are you telling me this? And why am I still alive? I know what you pirates have as your goal, especially _you_. You should have killed me or dismembered me long before now. Why haven't you?"

Higurashi smiled. "I don't plan on killing you, Inuyasha. You're too important to my mission."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise before the surprise gave way to suspicion. "What kind of mission? What could I possibly have to do with it? _Alive_?"

The young captain gathered up her hair and pinned it back up before returning the hat to her head. "All will be explained in due time. Rest assured, no one on this ship will harm you. I trust them all."

The hanyo rolled his eyes. "Sounds you don't trust them that much, seeing as they don't even know you're a girl."

Higurashi huffed. "I already told you. I'm a _woman_. I've been captain of this ship for ten years. My crew know me as a man. There would be no difference if I revealed the truth, so I don't have a need to."

Silence fell over them as Inuyasha took in all of the information he'd been presented.

The captain rose from the bed and readjusted her hat and jacket. "I know it's a lot, but there's a reason for everything. I just need you to trust me."

Inuyasha scoffed. " _Trust_ you? I would never! You murder and sell youkai like it's a game! I know what you pirates are all about!"

Higurashi didn't answer for a moment. Finally, with sad eyes, she met his gaze. "You probably won't believe it, but you're wrong about me. Everyone is wrong about me. I'm not like other pirates."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "What does _that_ mean?"

Higurashi smiled, her blue eyes were kind. There was no trace of malicious intent in them. "All in due time," she repeated as she headed to the door. "I'm going to get you something to eat. I'm sorry to leave you in the paralysis charm, but I can't let you get away yet. There's too much riding on this."

She left and closed the door softly behind her.

When she was gone, Inuyasha growled again and resumed his attempts to break the charm. It was pointless, and he finally just relaxed on the cot.

His head was spinning. It was all too much.

Captain Higurashi was a woman. She said she's not like other pirates. It was obvious she has powers akin to miko powers, but she didn't say what they were.

So if she wasn't like other pirates, how did she get such a reputation? For ten years, she'd had a notorious reputation, and yet she's nothing like he pictured. She was a woman, first of all, but her blue eyes were warm instead of harsh like he'd always pictured. When he was finally able to feel her aura, it was genuine.

Auras don't lie, and Inuyasha had mastered the skill of reading auras since he'd been on the run. It was how he'd learned when he could trust or distrust people with whom he had to come into contact. But he couldn't bring himself to trust her. It was too dangerous.

He sighed and slumped on the cot. The charm still hadn't worn off, not even a little, and his body was starting to ache from being in one spot for so long.

_If I get bed sores from this, I'm gonna fight someone._

A few minutes later, Higurashi reentered the room.

She was carrying a bowl of something that smelled _amazing_. Inuyasha didn't realize how hungry he was until she brought the bowl closer and set it on a small table near the cot.

Higurashi resumed her perch on the bed across from him.

It was a stare-down for a moment before she finally broke the silence. "I know you're hungry, so I'm going to relinquish part of the charm."

Higurashi raised her hand over him. She closed her eyes, and after a moment, Inuyasha found he could move the upper half of his body. His legs were still immobile, but he didn't care. He didn't need legs to eat.

Higurashi got up and handed him the bowl. He took it and prepared to dive in, but something stopped him. He frowned. _Accepting food from her would be like accepting a peace offering...I can't let my guard down. I can't let her think I would ever help her._

As much as it killed him, he gave the bowl back to her. "I don't want your food. I want you to release me...or at least tell me what the heck you're going to do with me if you're 'not like other pirates.'"

Higurashi looked at him a moment, obviously displeased, but Inuyasha knew she very well couldn't _force_ him to eat. Inuyasha had gone days without food before, once it was almost a week, so he knew he would be fine without eating.

"I'm not telling you anything until you settle down and stop fighting me," she explained with a frown on her face. "Eat the food and maybe I'll start to consider it."

Inuyasha frowned right back at her. " _No._ "

Higurashi shrugged. "Suit yourself." She set the bowl on the table next to the cot and stood up from the bed. "I have a feeling you'll change your mind."

Without looking back, she left the room.

_Who does she think she is?_ Inuyasha mused silently. _She's ridiculous. As if I would be so quick to believe_ anything _she says._

He flopped back on the cot and stared at the ceiling, wishing the answers to all of his questions could be written there.

Inuyasha glanced at the food on the table next to him, but didn't allow himself to eat it. He couldn't. He wasn't about to admit any sort of defeat.

Shortly after, he felt his exhaustion overcome him, and he fell into a deep slumber.

O.o.O.o.O

Captain Higurashi felt ridiculously guilty.

Kagome could feel that his suspicions were intense, but she desperately needed him to trust her, to fight next to her. She just needed to figure out how she was supposed to do that. Keeping him paralyzed wasn't the way, but she couldn't risk him escaping. At this point, it seemed like it would be impossible for him to come around to trusting her without a proper explanation, but she couldn't risk divulging any information just yet.

She needed her plan to be more concrete, more solid. There was absolutely no room for error. They had one shot at this, and Kagome knew she couldn't let anything slip through the cracks.

She would err on the side of caution for now and ignore the guilt that came with kidnapping Inuyasha and essentially holding him hostage.

She winced at the word _hostage_ , but that was pretty much what he was. She just had no intention of using him as such.

Kagome went back to Sango's room to fill her in on Inuyasha's status. She instructed a passing crew member to send Miroku to Sango's room as well so they could figure out what their next step should be.

Once the three of them were gathered, Kagome told them about what had happened.

"Well, at least he didn't try to attack you when his arms were freed," Miroku mentioned. "That's...something?"

Kagome grimaced. "I'm pretty sure he was just distracted by the food I was holding, but he didn't even eat it! What are we supposed to do?"

Sango and Miroku exchanged a glance. "Maybe you should tell him the plan," Sango suggested.

Kagome shook her head. "At this point, I don't even think he would believe me if I told him."

The three fell into a disappointed silence.

Kagome groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "I don't know what to do!"

Miroku set a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Well, at least he doesn't suspect anything about you. You'd think he would considering he's hanyo, but you do hide it well. It might be a good idea to tell him since he won't be able to figure it out on his own."

He was right. Maybe that could be the first step to getting him to trust her…

"I'll think about it," Kagome conceded. "If he doesn't start to come around within the next few days, I'll tell him about my father."

Miroku and Sango agreed with the plan.

Kagome prayed it would work as she headed back to her quarters a little while later.

Upon entering, she found Inuyasha dead to the world on the cot. Guilt came over her again, but she tried to keep the goal in mind.

As she got dressed for bed, she willed him to trust her. She needed him, that much was certain. Once he was on her side, she knew she would have enough power with her to fully reach her goal. It was now that her destiny begins.

Just as she was drifting off, she went over the plan one more time.

_I'm coming for you, Naraku. Just you wait._

To be continued…


	2. A Collision of Worlds

**Chapter 2: A Collision of Worlds**

Kagome woke suddenly to a loud crashing noise.

She sat up in her bed, heart racing, and looked around to find the source of the noise.

A frustrated shout followed the crash.

"Oi!" Inuyasha bellowed.

Kagome looked down and found him face down on the ground. The cot was half-crushing him as he tried to squirm out from under it.

"Get this paralysis charm crap off of me!" he shouted.

Kagome stretched and got out of bed. "Good morning to you, too."

She bent down next to him and chuckled. He glared at her from under the cot. "Are you gonna help me or not?"

Kagome pretended to think for a moment. "Sure."

Inuyasha growled. "So do it then."

With a shake of her head, Kagome stood up. "I'll help you, but you have to do something for me in exchange."

Inuyasha groaned. "Come on, woman! I just need to use the bathroom!"

That surprised Kagome.

Inuyasha apparently realized what he said. His face went up in a blush and he scoffed. "Keh. Just let me up."

Kagome tried to hide her laughter. "Alright, alright. But you still have to promise me something."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. " _Fine_. What?"

Kagome smiled. "You have to eat something. That's the only way I'll let you up. Also, we boat people call our bathrooms 'the head.'"

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh. Whatever. Just get me up."

All too keen to get a meal in him, Kagome helped him up. Once he was righted, she braced herself to remove the charm.

"I'm going to dispel the charm," she explained. "But you can't try and run. We're literally in the middle of the ocean. I know you're half-youkai, but I don't think even you could survive alone floating in open waters."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Satisfied with his compliance, Kagome released the charm.

Once Inuyasha was free to move, he released a heavy sigh and stretched his limbs. He glared at her. "Not like other pirates, huh? Yeah, okay."

Kagome laughed. "Oh, come on. What other pirate would bribe you with a _bathroom_ break just to get you to eat?"

Inuyasha huffed. "Where do I go?"

Kagome motioned to the door across the room. "Knock yourself out."

The hanyo stood and tossed Kagome one more glare before disappearing into the head.

Heaving a sigh, Kagome glanced at her pocket watch to check the time. One of the crewmen should be bringing a meal soon, and she'd instructed them the night before to bring two this morning so Inuyasha would have something to eat as well.

She quickly tossed up her hair and put her hat on. The oversized jacket followed.

A few moments later, a knock came at her door. Once she'd gotten the two bowls of food from one of her crewmen, she came back and set them on the table along with Inuyasha's abandoned bowl from the previous night.

Kagome had just finished pouring two cups of water when she heard a scuffling noise from the head.

She frowned and silently moved closer to the door. The strange noise came again. She huffed. _He just_ has _to make it more difficult, doesn't he?_

The captain didn't hesitate in yanking the door open.

Sure enough, she saw him trying to open the small porthole.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "How do you expect to escape out of _there_?" she asked incredulously. "Did you even think this plan out?"

Inuyasha froze. "I was figuring it out as I went," he growled back. "Now let me _go_ -" He moved to rush past her, obviously planning on catching her off-guard with his speed.

Kagome closed the door before he could exit the head. She braced herself against it to keep him from breaking it off the hinges.

The sound of him hitting the door boomed in the room.

"What the heck?" he shouted.

"Are you ready to stop fighting me?" Kagome asked through the door. "I let you use the head. Now you have to eat."

At his silence, Kagome opened the door and saw him with a murderous frown on his face.

Inuyasha looked at her for a long, calculating moment. "How did you do that?"

Kagome feigned innocence as she handed him his bowl and motioned for him to sit.

He did so, as if not realizing he had moved.

"Do what?" she inquired innocently.

Inuyasha growled. "Everything you do. The charm crap, that strength that I've never seen in a human...with anyone else, that door would have been off the hinges and across the room."

Shrugging, Kagome took a bite of her breakfast. "Maybe you're just imagining things. Don't you believe the rumors?" She grinned at him. "According to most people, I'm a _wizard_."

She tried to urge Inuyasha to eat, which he did rather reluctantly.

"There's no way you're a wizard or a sorcerer like they say," he countered. "That charm crap has gotta be spiritual power. Are you a miko?"

Humming a reply, Kagome only smiled. "That's quite the theory you've got there. Now eat up. We can talk more later."

Frowning, Inuyasha continued eating. Once they'd finished, Kagome gathered their bowls and stacked them with the one from last night. She would take them to the galley later.

"I'd rather not use my charm on you anymore," she said as she stood up to gather clean clothes. "But if you try to get off the ship, I'll have to, okay?" Inuyasha frowned harshly.

"Well, it's like you said," he replied sarcastically. "We're in the middle of the ocean. Not like I'd have anywhere to go even if I tried."

Kagome smiled. "Right. Good job." She took the clothes and walked over to use the head.

"I'm going to get dressed and then we can do a tour around the ship. Everyone knows you're here, so they're expecting us to come around today. Just give me a few minutes."

Kagome disappeared inside the head to do her business, freshen up, and get dressed.

When she emerged, she saw Inuyasha sitting on his cot with his bag and sword in front of him. He appeared lost in thought as he went through the contents of the bag **,** and Kagome was surprised to see the faraway look on his face. It was almost...sad.

"Hey," she said gently. "You ready?"

Inuyasha jumped a bit at her voice. He glanced back at the items before tying them up again. "No, but I guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?" His usual harsh tone was back, so Kagome figured he was just fine.

It had been weird seeing him unguarded for a moment. The look in his eyes, the sadness, it reflected what Kagome herself kept hidden inside.

_Maybe we're more alike than either of us realize…_

"Then let's go," she said as she put her shoes on. Once Inuyasha had gotten up and they were both ready, she led the way out of her quarters.

"Please don't attack any of my crew," she requested as they made their way to the deck. "None of them will try to harm you, so I ask that you return the favor."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh. I'm not one to pick fights with weak humans anyway." He eyed her for a moment. "So what would happen if I told them you're a girl?"

The smile Kagome had been sporting disappeared. "First of all," she began, "I'm a _woman_ , as I've said several times already. Also, you would be a jerk if you told them. It wouldn't change their opinion or level of respect for me, but we're all accustomed to the current dynamic on the ship and that would throw it off. So just don't. Please."

Inuyasha didn't reply, but his eyes portrayed an understanding. Kagome couldn't help but lock gazes with him for a moment, wondering what was lying under the surface.

She _had_ to get him to trust her. There was no other option.

Finally smiling again, Kagome set off. "Let's go."

O.o.O.o.O

The last thing Inuyasha wanted to do was traipse around Higurashi's ship meeting all of her crewmen, but somehow that was the situation in which he had unfortunately found himself.

As much as Inuyasha hated to admit, it was unnerving and almost frightening at first. He'd never met a human that looked at his hair and ears and didn't shrink away in fear. Well, aside from Higurashi, but she didn't count.

Instead of the fear or ridicule he expected, everyone seemed...decent. There was an underlying sense of respect and civility, and Inuyasha found himself constantly surprised by every person that didn't attack him or scorn him.

"So...you guys don't attack youkai?" Inuyasha asked as they finished rounding the ship. He'd met all of the crewmen except Higurashi's two most trusted men, so they were on their way to go meet them now.

"No," she insisted. "We never have."

Inuyasha was overwhelmed by all of the confusion he was feeling at every single thing that had happened to him in the last twenty-four hours.

"Why not?" he asked. Higurashi was quiet for a moment before she finally answered.

"There are a lot of reasons," she explained, "but mostly because we don't believe in killing, especially for sport or personal gain."

It took Inuyasha a second to process. "Well," he finally said. "I guess you're right. You guys really aren't like normal pirates." Higurashi chuckled.

"I tried to tell you!" she replied as they approached a small corridor under the deck. There was a door at the end of the corridor, on which the captain knocked when they were in front of it.

A man with violet eyes opened the door and smiled at the captain and the hanyo.

"Captain," he said as he bowed respectfully to Higurashi. The man then turned to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha-sama. Welcome to the ship."

Inuyasha felt incredibly awkward. _I've never had a human bow to me in my life. And it's been a long life._

"Uh, hey," he finally got out.

The man invited them into the room, where they were greeted by another man. Inuyasha was a little caught off-guard at the faint pink coloring on the other man's eyelids, but what did a hanyo know about human fashion?

"Inuyasha, this is Miroku," Higurashi said as she motioned the guy that had answered the door. She then referred to the other man. "And that's Sango."

Inuyasha eyed Sango. Something seemed weird about him.

Sango smiled. "I take it from your suspicious look that you've picked up on the fact that I'm a little different. I'm like Captain Higurashi. I'm hidden as a man, too."

Higurashi motioned for Inuyasha to sit in a vacant chair as she went to join Sango on the bed.

Inuyasha looked at Miroku expectantly. He had a short ponytail and an earring, so did that mean…?  
Miroku seemed confused at his attention, but soon realized what he was thinking. "I'm an actual man," he said quickly. "They're the only two women."

Inuyasha just frowned.

Higurashi and Sango laughed. "Poor Miroku," Sango cooed. "Mistaken as a girl. What an ironic twist of fate for the obnoxious ladies' man."

Miroku rolled his eyes and sat down at his desk. "Whatever." Eventually, he smiled, too.

About to lose his mind, Inuyasha huffed. "Okay, what's the deal with you people?" he asked exasperatedly. "You all act like it's totally normal to run around pretending to be men and kidnap hanyo and not give any explanations at all!"

Higurashi went serious immediately. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "I know that this must be difficult for you, but that's why I saved this room for last. We're going to tell you why you're here, but please keep an open mind."

Growing suspicious, Inuyasha just glared at her.

Higurashi rolled her eyes. "We're after Captain Naraku," she finally explained. "Our goal is to capture him and take him down, but we've never had the power." She looked at him seriously. "Until we found you."

Inuyasha growled. "Until you _captured_ me." Higurashi threw her hands up.

"Alright, I get it! But if you were in my position, you would be doing the same thing!" There was a deep pleading in her eyes as she locked her gaze on him.

"Naraku is pure evil in more ways than his disgusting sport of torturing and murdering youkai," she explained before she motioned to Miroku and Sango. "We've been trying to get enough power to stop him for ten years."

Inuyasha hung on those last words.

_I knew Higurashi had been around for ten years, but that seems so strange now that I really think about it after seeing her. She barely looks twenty-years-old. The others look a few years older, so that makes sense, but there's no way Higurashi has been doing this since she was a kid. The rumors never said how old she was, but then again, they didn't exactly say she was a_ woman _either. Either way, there's something weird about her._

Deciding to ignore it for the time being, Inuyasha tried to process Higurashi's words. "So why me?" he finally asked. "Why am I the one you want?"

Higurashi sighed and gently clasped her hands in her lap. It seemed like she was choosing what she should say. "You're a strong opponent. You're a son of the late Inu no Taisho."

Inuyasha's suspicions rose. "I have an older brother. Everyone knows about him. He's a _full_ youkai, but you came for me, a _half_ -youkai. Why?"

The look on Higurashi's face was unfathomable. She gave no indication to what she was thinking.

"You're special," she finally said. "The human in you...that's what makes you the right one."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. Stifling a blush, he looked away from her and scoffed. "Keh. So what exactly do you have planned? How are you even going to go about defeating Naraku?"

Higurashi exchanged a glance with Miroku and Sango. "First thing's first. We have to find him first or at least get an idea of where he might be."

Higurashi finally smiled at Inuyasha. "So. Are you in?"

_Of course not!_ he screamed internally. But then he thought about it...

Inuyasha looked at the faint glint of hope in Higurashi's eyes. He thought about her words, about the justice and revenge he would get on Naraku for killing his kind. He thought about the fact that everything he thought he knew was starting to change, and how it had all started with an undercover pirate pretending to have an injured ankle.

He was inclined to say no, but then he thought about the last inu-yokai that had just been killed. Naraku had killed him. Inuyasha had to do this for his kind. For his _heritage_.

Naraku deserved to pay, no matter what it took.

Three expectant pairs of eyes were trained on him when he pulled himself from his thoughts. "Fine," he resolved. "I'm in." Higurashi looked like a weight had been lifted off her.

"Thank goodness," she murmured.

Miroku clapped Inuyasha on the back and Sango smiled brightly. "Welcome to the team!" she said.

Inuyasha shrugged off Miroku's hand. "No way," he said. "I said I was in, not that I was joining your _team_."

Higurashi laughed. "Oh, come on now, Inuyasha. You say that, but you'll come around eventually."

"Not hardly, stupid," Inuyasha muttered under his breath.

Higurashi took his abrasive attitude in stride. "I think it's about time for lunch, yeah? Let's get to the galley and have something to eat."

Inuyasha wasn't looking forward to having to face all the crewmen again, but breakfast had been hours ago, so he actually was starting to get hungry.

Hunger outweighed reluctance, so he just silently followed the others to the galley.

As everyone ate, Inuyasha allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts.

He knew there was something strange going on. There was so much Higurashi was keeping from him, and he had no idea what it could be. She seemed to have an answer or an explanation for every question he had, but it never seemed like the whole truth.

He still didn't really trust them, but his desire to destroy Naraku overtook his reservations about working with them.

Miroku and Sango's auras were pure, much like Higurashi's, so he knew that none of them had any malintent toward Inuyasha himself. It was obvious they were hiding things, and it annoyed Inuyasha to no end that he couldn't figure out what it was.

A nudge on his arm broke him from his thoughts. Higurashi was looking at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked, having missed whatever she'd said to him.

"I asked if you had any other clothes aside from what you're wearing," she repeated.

Inuyasha thought back to what he'd found in his bag...no, he couldn't wear that.

"No," he finally said. "Just this." Higurashi nodded.

"We're heading to a large port we frequent," she explained. "We'll be there tomorrow. We need supplies anyway, so we can go ahead and get you some other clothes while we're there."

Inuyasha frowned. "You were just in a huge town. Why wouldn't you have gotten your supplies there?"

Higurashi smiled. "We had another objective in that town. We didn't want to risk staying longer than necessary."

Inuyasha huffed and went silent again.

He didn't speak for the rest of the meal or as they were going back to Higurashi's quarters to go over their route.

Inuyasha had only sailed once when he was very young, so he didn't understand the naval talk around him as Higurashi and her two crewmen explained where they were and where they were going.

They'd already traveled a good distance from the town where they'd left the day before. It was strange; Inuyasha had gone so far in such a small amount of time, and somehow his whole life had changed in that short period.

That night, Higurashi left Inuyasha in her quarters while she went to go and give instructions to the night helmsman.

Once she was gone, Inuyasha grabbed Totosai's bag. He'd gone through it that morning to try and take inventory of what he had, but his hands had frozen on the article of clothing Totosai had put in it.

He hadn't noticed Totosai packing it, and he hadn't even realized the old man would've kept it after all these years. Inuyasha figured it had gotten lost over time, but it seems Totosai had been saving it.

The Robe of the Fire Rat.

Inuyasha gently ran his fingers over the red cloth. It was the clothing he'd worn as a child and up until he'd had to go into hiding on his own after his mother died.

Inuyasha sighed. He missed wearing the clothing his mother had made for him, but it singled him out as a hanyo. It especially sucked because he hated human clothing; once it tore, it was ruined unlike the robe.

By the time Higurashi returned to her quarters, Inuyasha had put the bag under his cot and was laying on his side with one hand propping up his head.

He had a few questions for the captain.

Higurashi, annoyingly friendly as usual, smiled at him when she saw he was still awake.

"I bet you're tired," she said as she closed the door and took off her hat. She left her hair clipped up before grabbing some clothes and disappearing into the head.

Inuyasha didn't answer. He just waited for her to come back into the room.

When she emerged, she was wearing night clothing and had a comb in one hand while the other took the pin from her hair.

"You owe me some explanations, woman," he said, causing her to pause with the comb halfway to her hair.

Higurashi's eyes narrowed. "Okay," she replied slowly. "Explanations about what? I already answered your questions."

Inuyasha frowned as she started combing through her hair. He continued to frown at her until she finally put the stupid comb down and went to sit on her bed.

Higurashi huffed. "I can't explain something if I don't know what it is." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"You answered my questions," he confirmed, "but you didn't explain what this is all about. Why me? Yeah, my lineage, great. But there is no way you could possibly want a hanyo to do this with you. I don't care how many stupid or mushy reasons you give about my lineage. There has to be something greater than just the little piece of humanity I have inside me."

Sighing deeply, the captain shook her head. "There is a prophecy that predicts the defeat of evil in this world and its return to a peaceful existence," she finally said. "It mentions a hanyo. I eventually figured out that _you_ were the hanyo it was talking about."

That got an eye roll. "A prophecy?" Inuyasha repeated skeptically. "A prophecy told you that you needed a hanyo so you decided it meant me?"

Higurashi huffed. "It's not that simple!" she insisted. "I know it's you because I've heard about that prophecy my whole life so I've had plenty of time to figure it out!"

"Keh, I've never even heard of any sort of prophecy about a hanyo," Inuyasha shot back. "Of anyone in this messed up world, I think I would know."

Higurashi took a deep breath. When she'd released it, she seemed calmer. "I know I keep telling you this, but everything will eventually make sense. I promise. It's just...messy right now, but it's what we're supposed to do."

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed. "There is no _we_. Who do you think are, sitting here telling me about what I'm supposed to do with my miserable excuse of a life? I don't have to do anything, especially not just because you say it's a 'prophecy' or destiny or whatever other stupid word you want to use! I don't have a purpose! I'm a _hanyo_. I'm useless!"

Higurashi stared at him with wide eyes. "Do you really think of yourself that way? That you're useless?" She'd completely ignored the harsh, cruel words Inuyasha had said. He'd been trying to get a rise out of her so she'd kick him off her ship out of anger, not so she would look at him with such sympathy in her eyes.

When he dared to look closer, the sympathy seemed to look more like empathy.

_Who is this woman? How can she look at me and make me feel like she understands everything I say and like she feels everything I feel?_

"Regardless of what you think about me and what I have to say," Higurashi began, "I don't want you to sell yourself short." Her eyes became hard, determined. "You have a purpose, Inuyasha. Whatever you wind up choosing as your purpose, it's _still_ a purpose. Hanyo aren't useless. They have the best strengths from all pieces of the puzzle. You just have to figure out how those pieces go together."

Higurashi sighed and laid down. Once she had gotten comfortable under her blankets, she turned her back to Inuyasha. "Get some rest," she said. "We'll be up early tomorrow."

Inuyasha didn't answer. He stared at her as she stretched out on her side. Her wild hair was haphazardly strewn on the pillow as her breathing started to even out.

Once he was sure she was asleep, Inuyasha ran a hand down his face and laid down.

_Forget hanyo being like a puzzle,_ he mused. _Higurashi is the one that's definitely got some pieces missing. And yet there's something genuine about everything she says. Maybe...maybe she's telling the truth. But what's that crap about a prophecy? That can't be true..._

He rolled over to face her bed. He listened to her even breathing and watched the peaceful way she slept. If he listened hard enough, he could hear the steady beat of her heart.

Rolling back over to stare at the ceiling, Inuyasha tried to figure out what he was feeling in that moment.

He didn't fully trust her yet. Some of the stuff she was saying was just too weird to believe right off the bat.

The one thing that he truly believed was that she wasn't going to hurt him. Aside from the nonsense she constantly spewed about him, he believed that she wasn't going to hurt him or sell him off for parts.

She was right: she wasn't like other pirates.

And somehow, Inuyasha felt comforted.

O.o.O.o.O

The next day, Kagome rose with the sun. The sound of her rustling around in the room rose Inuyasha from his slumber.

When Kagome noticed he'd woke up, she felt guilty. "Sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Inuyasha sat up and shrugged. "Not your fault," he replied. "Can't help my weird hearing." He twitched his ears once on the top of his head for emphasis.

Kagome smiled and went to change her clothes in the head. Once she was dressed with her hair up and hat on, she motioned for Inuyasha to do his own morning routine.

"I'm going to check on our status and get Miroku and Sango," she announced. "I'll be back with them soon."

After consulting with her night helmsman, Kagome found that they would be reaching the port in the next hour or so. She dismissed the night helmsman when the next crewman arrived to take his place before she went to find Miroku and Sango.

Once she'd rounded them up, they returned to Kagome's quarters.

When they walked in, Kagome found the room empty. Panic immediately rose up in her chest.

"Inuyasha?" she called as she looked around the room. She hurried to the head but Inuyasha was nowhere to be found.

"Where is he?" Sango asked. Kagome brushed past her and Miroku.

"He's gone," she replied. "How? There's nowhere to run!"

Miroku and Sango hurried after her as she ran out of the room.

As she ran, she tried to focus her senses. Something flared at the edge of her mind as she abruptly changed their direction.

Sango and Miroku barely kept from barreling into her. "What are you doing?" Miroku asked.

Kagome shook her head. "He's this way."

Kagome followed his aura up to the deck. She found him standing on the far side with his sword at his side and his bag slung over his back.

He was leaning over the edge of the ship and looking out over the water. Kagome paused when she caught sight of him.

Although his back was to her, she could see the absence of tension in his shoulders. He looked almost...calm. She couldn't help but admire him for a moment as his long, silver hair flowed in the sea breeze.

He must have sensed her, for he turned around and nodded at her in greeting. She smiled and went to join him at the edge. Miroku and Sango hung back, allowing the captain to address the extra passenger herself.

When Kagome reached him at the edge of the ship, Inuyasha turned his gaze back to the water.

"I haven't really gotten to take a moment to just _look_ ," he explained. "It's incredible."

Kagome took a deep breath, inhaling the salty smell of the vast ocean. "It's a dream to live on this ship," she replied. "Home. That's the only way I can describe it."

Inuyasha hummed in agreement. They stood in peaceful silence for a moment as they admired the scene before them.

After a short time, Kagome spoke again. "We'll be reaching the port soon. I don't want us to stay for too long, so it's going to be a quick trip to restock on supplies and get you some clothing."  
Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't have any money. I'm fine with what I have."

Kagome waved him off. "Don't worry about it. We have plenty of money."

That got her a suspicious look from Inuyasha. "How do you make money? You don't kill youkai, but you steal?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "We don't steal. Some of my crewmen are pretty handy, so they make stuff for people to buy." She smiled. "Miroku especially. He reads fortunes. His prices are stupidly high, but he gets raving reviews from customers. We usually do that once a month and it lasts until the next month."

Seemingly placated by her response, Inuyasha pushed off the edge and turned to look at Miroku and Sango.

"Oi," he called to Miroku. "You read fortunes?"

Miroku inclined his head. "I do. I'm quite good." The hanyo obviously didn't believe him.

"I don't believe in fortune tellers," he said flatly. "You must be a fake."

The crewman laughed. "Ah, but I must insist I am not," he replied. "I come from a long line of monks. It's basically reading auras."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "You read auras?" Miroku nodded.

"The captain and I both do," he replied. Kagome glanced at Miroku.

_He's revealing too much. I need to stop him before he says anything else._

"Miroku, you and Sango should go and gather your things," she instructed. "I'll grab my things as well and we'll meet back up here."

Before the two crewmen parted from Kagome and Inuyasha, Kagome gave Miroku a _watch yourself_ look.

If Inuyasha noticed the exchange, he didn't say it. All he did was give her another curious look before adjusting the bag on his back.

"So you read auras," he repeated. "Is that how you found me?"

Kagome hesitated, wondering if she should try to brush it off.

In the end, she figured it was best to tell him now than for him to find out later.

"Yes," she confirmed. "It makes people uneasy, so I tend to not tell them."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Yeah, I bet. The only people that can read auras are youkai and people with spiritual powers. You're obviously the latter."

Kagome looked back out to the ocean. "That's not the priority here."

Silence fell over them.

"Your aura is weird."

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha's statement, wondering if she should laugh or be offended.

He smirked at her reaction. "Your aura is...complicated. When you unveiled it to me, I felt some sort of spiritual power. You and Miroku just confirmed that. But there's something else at the edge of it. Something...I don't know. Weird."

Despite her uneasiness, she smiled. "Maybe we can have a story time another day." She nodded toward the ocean on the other side of where they were facing. "We're almost to the port."  
Inuyasha looked in the same direction, his eyes widening at the sight.

"Where are we?" he asked.

Kagome began to walk back down to her quarters. She beckoned Inuyasha to follow as she answered him.

"It's called Drastoria. It's large and busy, so we'll be able to go undiscovered."

When they reached her quarters, Kagome began packing her usual undercover bag. Miroku was grabbing the money they would need, so she didn't have to worry about that.

"I can't imagine you would get discovered anyway," Inuyasha mentioned as Kagome gathered her things. "It's not like anyone even knows what you look like."

Kagome shrugged. "Better safe than sorry. It's still possible that someone could think I'm a pirate." She paused to look at him. "Now that I think about it, _you_ recognized me as myself. How?"

Inuyasha frowned. "I've seen portraits of you. Your eyes are distinctive." Kagome pondered that for a moment.

"But...how? I can't be the only person you've ever seen with bright eyes. I mean, look at yourself."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I was set on killing you. I had to know the eyes of my prey."

Kagome fell into silence. She wasn't expecting him to flat out tell her that.

"Why?" she asked. "Why did you want to kill me?"

"You have a reputation as evil," he replied. "Worse than Naraku. That reputation is among youkai _and_ humans. I hear whispers about you in human villages." He frowned deeply. "But now I don't understand why that is. You said you don't do any of the things normal pirates do, so you wouldn't have done anything to even spark rumors. How did it happen?"

The bag was filled by then, so Kagome stopped to give him her full attention.

"I took over as a captain of this ship when I was fifteen," she began to explain. "At first, it was just me, Miroku, and Sango. We needed a ship and a crew, so we'd been searching for months before we came upon this one. Their captain had just died so the crew was just kind of stagnant." Kagome smiled fondly at the memory. "The three of us came in swinging. We were expecting a fight, but this crew was more afraid than anything. We were three teenagers, but we were trained to fight, so we know how to look intimidating. Eventually, they grew to trust us on their own, and we've all been together ever since."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "That doesn't explain how the rumors started."

"Well, I was hellbent on getting a ship," she continued. "I've been told that I can be a little scary when I'm working toward a goal. Plus...well, you felt my power. It's intense. People felt it and assumed that I was trying to kill anyone that got in my way, youkai included. That's where the reputation comes from."

Inuyasha seemed surprised. "So killing youkai was never your goal. What is?"

Kagome slung her bag over her shoulder before grabbing her bow and quiver of arrows. "I want nothing more than to defeat Naraku. We have to get going now. Make sure you leave the hood up on your cloak."

She was expecting some sort of rude answer, but Inuyasha just quietly followed her out of the room.

Kagome discreetly crossed her fingers. _Please let this go well…_

O.o.O.o.O

Higurashi was _definitely_ hiding something, of that Inuyasha was sure.

But at that moment, Inuyasha didn't care. Her goal was to defeat Naraku, and that's exactly what Inuyasha himself wanted. Higurashi could keep whatever information to herself. Inuyasha just wanted to rid the world of Naraku.

Inuyasha, the captain, and her two crewmen departed from the ship soon after they reached the port. Higurashi kept her hood up, as did Inuyasha, as they made their way down the marina.

Instead of turning to enter the town, Higurashi and her crewmen just kept walking toward the edge of the marina.

"Oi," Inuyasha called. "Where are you going? The town is the other way."

Higurashi shook her head and waited for him to catch up with them. "We have to change our clothes first," she explained. "We never go into a town in our usual pirate clothing. It draws too much attention. We prefer to keep from being noticed."

That made sense, so Inuyasha nodded his understanding. At the end of the marina, Higurashi led them to the edge of a forest. Once they'd gone a little ways past the treeline, she stopped and pulled the bag off of her shoulders.

"Inuyasha, just wait right there while we change. It'll only take a few minutes."

The two women went off to find some privacy while Miroku just started stripping down in front of Inuyasha.

The hanyo turned away quickly. "What are you doing?" he growled. "Stop taking off your clothes!"

Miroku chuckled. "I have to change, too."

Inuyasha huffed and jumped up into the nearest tree. Once he'd reached a high enough branch, he settled himself against the trunk. He wasn't anywhere near chummy enough with the guy to watch him undress.

A few minutes later, Inuyasha heard the women return.

"Where's Inuyasha?" Higurashi asked. "Did you scare him off?"

It was at that moment that Inuyasha realized he could run. Higurashi might be able to follow his aura, but he was too fast for them to be able to keep up. If he started running now, she might not even have time to hit him with one of her charms.

Inuyasha stood up in the branch and prepared to run off, but something stopped him.

_They might be my only way to defeat Naraku,_ he realized. _I can't leave. I have a new mission._

The hanyo finally sighed and hopped down. "I'm here." Higurashi turned to him and smiled.

Her hair was down again and she was wearing another dress. Oddly enough, he felt his cheeks start to warm. _Don't blush, idiot._

The only other time he'd seen her in a dress was when she was kidnapping him. Now he was right side up and she wasn't kneeling over him introducing herself as a feared captain.

Right now, she appeared as a normal, approachable person. She looked nice with her long, wild hair hanging every which way down to her waist. The dress was almost too long on her, which made Inuyasha realize just how short she was. Without her big captain's hat on, she looked like just another average human.

_Strange..._

"All right, everyone is ready," she declared as she tried to fit her and Sango's other clothing back into her bag. The only item she left out was a plain black hat. It was smaller than her normal captain's hat, and Inuyasha almost hoped she would leave it off so as not to hide her hair.

"Here you go," she said as she gave the hat to Inuyasha instead of wearing it herself. "You can wear this to hide your ears. You still need to keep your hair tucked under your cloak, but at least now you don't have to always have the hood up."

Inuyasha took the hat from her. He had to admit it would be nice to not have his vision constantly impeded by his hood.

Being careful to keep his hair under the cloak, he pulled his hood down and replaced it with the hat. His ears were covered, but they weren't being crushed.

He nodded his approval.

Higurashi turned to Sango, whom was also wearing a dress and had her hair down. "Can you and Miroku pick up the supplies we need?" the captain requested. "Inuyasha and I will go get some clothing."

Sango grimaced. "You're leaving me with the lecher?" Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"You some kind of pervert?" the hanyo cut in, addressed Miroku.

Miroku sighed exasperatedly. "You people treat me so badly." Sango rolled her eyes and walked over to take his arm.

"Are we meeting at the tavern?" Sango asked the captain.

Higurashi's eyes lit up. "I forgot about the tavern," she replied excitedly. "Yes, let's meet there around noon."

Sango nodded and began pulling Miroku toward the town with her. "See you then."

Once they were gone, Higurashi adjusted the bag to rest on her side before putting her own cloak on over it.

"There's a great tavern in this town," she explained as she began leading them to the edge of the forest. "We always stop there when we come here, which isn't as often as we would like."

Inuyasha nodded next to her. "Is it too hard for the great Captain Higurashi to make it to all the places she wants to go?"

Higurashi rolled her eyes. "You can't call me that in town. People will recognize the name."

Inuyasha frowned. "They won't recognize _you_ though, so why bother?"

The captain huffed. "Just don't call me that. When we go places, we always assume new names so we don't attract attention. When we're in town, call me Ayaka. We'll call you Seiichi. It's simple and won't call too much attention to yourself."

They walked in silence for a moment until they reached the tree line. Before they descended into the bustling town, Inuyasha glanced at her.

"Is Ayaka your real name?" he asked, genuinely curious.

The captain shook her head. "No. It's Kagome."

Inuyasha was a bit surprised at how easily she told him. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Higurashi shrugged and grinned. "You never asked."

The noise of the approaching town abruptly ended any response Inuyasha could have given.

_Kagome…what a strange name. Then again, she's a little strange, too._

The pair made quick work in the town. Inuyasha got a good amount of clothing along with a new belt for his scabbard. The leather had worn down considerably over the years, so Inuyasha was grateful to not have to worry about the new one snapping off.

Once they'd gotten enough, they headed over to the tavern to meet Miroku and Sango.

"Yosuke and Akito might already be there," Higurashi explained. "There weren't a whole lot of supplies we needed." It took Inuyasha a moment to realize that Yosuke and Akito must have been Miroku and Sango.

Sure enough, they were already at the tavern when the captain and the hanyo arrived.

They were waiting outside the front door with several canvas bags slung over their shoulders.

"You guys ready?" Sango asked. "We left the ship without breakfast, so we're pretty hungry."

Higurashi nodded and motioned for Inuyasha to enter. "Seiichi and I are pretty hungry, too, right?"

Inuyasha nodded his agreement after recognizing his alias.

It was overwhelming to be in such a large place with so many humans milling around. He wondered if there were any youkai in this town. There were too many people in the tavern for him to get a good read on any youkai auras that might be around, so he just focused on trying to not lose Higurashi and the others as they made their way to a vacant table.

Once they'd ordered their lunches, Higurashi motioned to all of the canvas bags next to Miroku and Sango.

"Did you find everything we needed?" she asked.

Miroku and Sango nodded. "Yep," Miroku replied. "We had to get a different kind of rope than usual, but it'll work just as well. That was the only thing."

"So, Seiichi," Sango said, "did you find enough things?" Inuyasha nodded.

"Higu-uh, I mean, Ayaka kept shoving things at me as if I didn't have enough to carry already."

Miroku and Sango laughed. "That sounds about right," Miroku mused. "She loves to shop."  
Inuyasha just observed the banter between the three as they went back and forth teasing each other and laughing.

It was as if they weren't a band of pirates.

And, for a moment, Inuyasha didn't feel like an outcast.

It wasn't all that bad.

As the group left their payment on the table and began to get ready to leave, a man walked over and approached the table.

Inuyasha frowned, immediately suspicious.

He was quite obviously intoxicated as he leaned heavily on the table and seemed to struggle to focus.

"It must be my lucky day," he slurred as he looked over Higurashi and Sango with lust in his eyes. "Who would have known I'd stumble upon two beautiful women at once. Which one of you should I show a good time to first?"

Inuyasha frowned as the man reached out to touch Higurashi. Before Inuyasha could even react, the man was falling backward.

Higurashi, calmly as ever, had decked him with a solid punch. Inuyasha's eyes widened at the blood he saw coming from the man's nose.

"Is that any way to speak to women?" Higurashi said as she stood up and looked down at him. "You should learn some manners."

Sango gave him a dirty look as she stood to follow Higurashi.

Inuyasha was stunned. _I actually feel lucky that she just used charms on me. She can really throw a punch._

The hanyo followed the group as they left the tavern, still rendered silent.

As if nothing had even happened, the group resumed their usual chatter as they walked back to the forest.

Inuyasha didn't even notice Miroku hang back with him as the women continued on ahead.

"I take it you're surprised that our little captain can knock a man down, yes?" he deduced. Inuyasha nodded.

"Makes me glad she can get me with a charm instead of a punch," he replied. "How is she that strong? She's so...small." Miroku laughed.

"Years of building up strength on the ship," Miroku explained. "It can be hard work, especially with the pressure of having to carry on as a man all the time. The captain gets enough mockery by other pirates when we see them due to her stature. It's another reason she prefers to walk towns in dresses with her hair down. It's just easier."

_Interesting...we're all just outcasts._ Then Inuyasha realized what Miroku had said about pirates other than them.

"How often do you come across other pirates?" he asked.

Miroku shrugged. "Not too often," he explained. "Occasionally they try to rob us at sea, but we always manage to fight them off."

"Really?" Inuyasha countered. "How do you guys do that? You all are three humans and the rest of your crew is made up of old men."

Miroku smiled and beckoned Inuyasha to catch up with Miroku and Sango. "Maybe we're just lucky."

The conversation came to an end when they reached the forest again. They made quick work of changing back into their clothing. Once that was done, Inuyasha found himself disappointed to see the captain's hair hidden by the hat.

_Get ahold of yourself,_ he scolded silently. _It's not like you even care what she does._

Getting back onto the ship was a simple enough affair as they loaded all their items and announced their arrival to the helmsman. Once they were settled, they set sail again.

"Where are we going now?" Inuyasha asked Higurashi as she organized their supplies.

"We're going to visit my aunt," she explained. "She can explain the prophecy and a lot of the stuff you're confused about and hopefully she can offer some advice on how we can go about defeating Naraku."

Inuyasha frowned. "Is she another fortune teller like Miroku?"

Higurashi laughed. "No, not quite. She is much more... _authentic_ than Miroku."

"I heard that!" Miroku hollered from behind them.

That got another laugh from her. "I'm glad you're here, Miroku," she said. "We'll need to take Inuyasha's clothing and his cot down to your room."

Inuyasha's head whipped in her direction. "What? You want me to bunk with that self-proclaimed lecher?"

Miroku huffed. "I am not a self-proclaimed lecher!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Whatever."

Higurashi chuckled. "Would you rather room with me? I figured being with another man would make you more comfortable."

Inuyasha blushed. "Keh, I couldn't care less! You snore anyway so it'll be a relief."

The captain rolled her eyes. "Liar. I know I don't snore." She smirked. "But Miroku does. I think you deserve to room with him now after that."

Knowing that arguing further was just going to embarrass himself more, Inuyasha picked up his clothes and frowned. "Where to?"

The rest of the crew came up to put the supplies away after they'd been organized. Once that was done, Higurashi asked Miroku to take Inuyasha's clothing to his room while they got his cot from her quarters.

When they made it to her quarters, Higurashi helped him fold up the sheets, blanket, and actual cot.

Once the cot was ready to be moved, Higurashi grabbed an empty chest from the corner of the room.

"You can put your clothes in here," she explained. "Then they won't be scattered everywhere. I know it's a little cramped on the ship, but Miroku's room is almost as big as mine."

Inuyasha nodded. "Uh, thanks, Higurashi. I appreciate it."

She smiled. "You know my name now. Why don't you try using it?"

Inuyasha hesitated. "Okay...Kagome. I'm guessing that's not a name to use around the rest of the crew."

The captain nodded. "Aside from Miroku and Sango. They know."

Settling into Miroku's room was rather simple. There was plenty of room for the two men, so Inuyasha's complaints stopped.

"We should arrive in about a week," she told Miroku. "I figure my aunt can explain things to Inuyasha better than I can."

Inuyasha frowned. "What exactly needs to be explained?" he asked. "You're all so cryptic. You barely tell me anything and when you do, it's like a riddle that makes me even more confused, especially about this prophecy crap."

Kagome sighed. "I'm sorry. The truth is that I don't have the answers to all of your questions, and the answers I do have will just lead to more questions." She looked up at him. "I promise things will make sense when we meet with my aunt, okay? Just trust me on this."

Inuyasha hesitated. _Trust her...I still don't know if I can do that._

"Keh." If it got Inuyasha a step closer to Naraku, he would do whatever it took.

"Great," Kagome said. "I'll leave you to get settled."

After she left, an awkward silence came over Miroku and Inuyasha.

"So," Miroku said, breaking the silence. "Where are you from?"

Inuyasha grimaced. "I'm not one for small talk. Besides, it's none of your business."

Miroku rolled his eyes. "I know you're not pleased about all this, but constantly being negative isn't going to help. Kagome is doing her best, just like the rest of us. You could put forth some effort as well."

Inuyasha growled. "Put forth some effort after you guys _kidnapped_ me? Yeah, sure. I'll get right on that."

Miroku eyed him. "If you're so mad about all this, why didn't you run? You could have easily left in the forest today. Kagome was too far away to stop you, so why didn't you just leave?"

After thinking for a moment, Inuyasha spoke. "Whether or not I want to be here, you guys are my only way to destroy Naraku."

"Why do you want to destroy him?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha looked away. "There were three inu-youkai left in this world. Naraku recently killed one of them, so now it's just me and my half-brother left. I'm out for revenge." He glanced at Miroku. "What about you guys? Why is Kagome trying so hard to find him?"

Miroku paused for a moment, as if trying to figure out what to say. "Naraku took something from her," he explained slowly. "She wants it back. She also wants a little revenge, too."

Interest piqued, Inuyasha mulled over his words. _Maybe I got lucky. How else would I have gotten this chance? Who would have thought getting kidnapped would actually wind up benefiting me?_

"What about you and Sango?" he asked.

Miroku smiled. "Sango and I were already traveling together when Kagome found us and told us her goal. Eventually, our goal became the same. We saw it as an escape at first. We _all_ wanted to escape the lives we left behind, Kagome included."

Inuyasha nodded. "Escape...I can understand that." Miroku smiled.

"You can trust us. We all have the same goal. Sango, Kagome, and I have been protecting each other for years. We'll protect you, too. You're one of us now."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. _They think I'm one of them? Maybe I am in a way, but...I can't be too trusting yet. They're my way to find Naraku. I'm not here to be friends with them._

Finally, Inuyasha just nodded.

Later that night, after Miroku was asleep, Inuyasha snuck out of the room and up to the top deck.

He nodded a greeting at the night helmsman as he walked past him to the front of the ship. He tried to remember what it was called. Before Miroku had fallen asleep, he'd tried explaining the different parts of the ship.

_I think he said it's called the bow,_ Inuyasha mused.

When he reached the very tip of the ship, he looked out at the water.

He'd looked out this morning before they'd stopped at the town. It had struck him, the size of the ocean. He suddenly felt very small. The sea spread out as far as he could see, and he couldn't help but admire the way the sun shone on the waves as they gently swelled around the ship.

As the moon reflected on the ocean that night, Inuyasha was struck once again. It was late into the night, but it was somehow almost as bright as the day. The light from the moon and stars danced on the calm waves, and the sounds of the water around him soothed Inuyasha.

There was something ethereal and magical about the sight. It reminded Inuyasha of his mother.

_She would have loved this…_

It was nice to have a moment alone. He'd been around the crewmen all day, and now that he was by himself, he felt like he could actually take a breath and process everything that was happening.

He was eager to get to Kagome's aunt's town and finally get the answers she'd promised. He had a suspicion that she must have some sort of miko power. She hadn't said as much, but Miroku had certainly hinted at it.

If she was a miko, then why didn't she kill youkai? Where did the empathy for youkai come from? There were so many pieces missing from the puzzle, and it made Inuyasha start to wonder if anything would ever be clear.

Whatever her deal was with youkai, being a miko would explain how Kagome could hide her aura so well. The bow and arrows she had that day only made him suspect it even more.

There was something else there, too, though. He couldn't quite figure it out, but he could tell there was a lot more she wasn't telling him about herself. Then again, he wasn't exactly forthcoming about his past, but still. He wasn't the one that kidnapped someone. He felt like she owed him way more than she was giving him.

_Shut up and stop complaining,_ he scolded himself. _She's your only way to destroy Naraku. It's not like you even care!_ Okay, so that was a lie, but he had to prioritize.

He focused his attention on the water in front of him and sighed.

_At least I'm not seasick._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome felt Inuyasha's aura move past the door of her quarters. He was silent; the only way she knew he was there was his aura. She'd heard him go up to the deck, so she figured he was returning from there.

He paused at her door for a few moments, and she could feel the deep thoughtfulness radiating from him. She flared her aura as a silent invitation for him to come in. A moment later, he knocked and entered her quarters before closing the door behind him.

Kagome sat up and smiled. "You alright?"

Inuyasha frowned at her. "I was going to just leave it alone. I wasn't going to ask you because you and your crew are my best bet to stop Naraku, but…" He trailed off, his eyes shifting to the floor.

Kagome tossed off her blankets and moved to sit criss-cross on her bed. "Do you want to sit down?" she asked. "You can pull up that chair."  
Inuyasha glanced at the chair at her desk. Sighing, he moved it closer to her bed and sat down.

"I have questions, but I don't want you to give me all that 'in due time' crap you've been doing."

Kagome nodded. "Okay, you deserve that. What do you want to know?"

Inuyasha paused, as if uncertain about what to ask first.

"Are you a miko?" he finally asked. "You have spiritual power and a ridiculous amount of control over your aura. That's a miko thing, so is that what you are?"

Kagome half-shrugged. "I'm technically a miko by blood," she replied. "I'm descended from a line of miko and I have spiritual powers, but I'm not trained professionally. I don't believe in purifying youkai simply because they're youkai, so I never _wanted_ to be properly trained."

Inuyasha seemed surprised by that. "But you use your spiritual power often. Heck, it's how you managed to capture me. How does that work?"

Kagome paused for a moment. "It's possible to excel in some skills without complete training. What do you know about miko? Have you ever met one?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "The only miko I've ever heard of by name was Kikyo from the Great War. Miko weren't prominent during the peace period, so they weren't really significant until the war started. That's when they started actually practicing again."

The name startled Kagome. She wasn't really surprised that he knew about Kikyo, but it still hurt to hear her name said out loud.

"What do you know about Kikyo?" she asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"Not much," he replied. "I just know she was killed. She engaged in battle with a powerful youkai, so that's why she's so well-known."  
"Kikyo was one of the few miko that tried to approach the war from a peaceful standpoint," Kagome explained. "She wasn't the only one, but her death is what makes her stand out. The others retreated long before she was killed, but she refused to give up."

Inuyasha frowned. "The stories don't say that. They just say she was killed. How do you know that there was more to the story?"

Kagome hesitated. "Miko are well-versed in the lives of each other," she replied. "Or at least, they were. After the war, miko became prominent in society again just like you said, so there are more than there used to be. It's too hard to keep up with all of them now."

Inuyasha seemed to think about that for a moment. "Alright, but you didn't answer my question. How do you use _any_ of your power if you're not fully-trained? It doesn't make any sense."

"I've just honed in on certain skills," Kagome replied. "I don't use any of the skills that require the purification of youkai. Plus, honestly, a lot of it comes naturally."

Inuyasha frowned. "And how does your family feel about you not following in their footsteps?"

Kagome smiled, thinking of her mother. "My mother grew up with the same mindset, so it was only natural that I think the same way. She was fully-trained, but she only fought youkai when absolutely necessary. I was different because I didn't even want to do that."

Inuyasha scoffed. "What kind of miko only fights youkai when necessary? That's what a miko dedicates their lives to." Kagome shrugged.

"That's just not how I was raised," she explained. "My mother and her family didn't believe in it, so I don't either."

Inuyasha nodded, pondering her words. "There's something else in your aura," he continued. "I can't put my finger on it, but there's something."

Kagome hesitated, thinking about her father, but pushed the thought from her mind. She wasn't ready to tell him yet. "I'm not really sure what you might be picking up," she replied. She was lying, but now wasn't the time to tell him.

Inuyasha seemed suspicious, but he didn't respond. "So why are you on the run?" he asked, switching gears. "Does your family not know about Naraku?"

Kagome grimaced. "My family is all dead except for my aunt. That's part of why I'm after Naraku."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I shouldn't have...well, I'm sorry."

Kagome waved off his apology. "It's alright. You couldn't have known. But it's the same for Miroku and Sango. When we say it's just the three of us, we mean it. We're all that's left of each of our families, so it's a sore spot for us."

Inuyasha nodded his understanding. "My parents are gone, too. I've already mentioned that I have a half-brother, but he doesn't want much to do with me."

Kagome smiled. "You fit right in with us," she commented. "Must be destiny, huh?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and stood up. "I'm going to bed. Thanks for...you know."

"Of course," Kagome replied. "My aunt will have more answers for you. I promise. Good night."

Inuyasha nodded and left.

Sighing heavily once he was gone, Kagome flopped back on her bed. Surprisingly, she felt tears spring into her eyes. Talking about her family hurt. She didn't even really talk about them to Miroku and Sango. Their families were an off-limits topic, but somehow, she felt okay talking about it to Inuyasha.

As she got comfortable under her blankets and began to drift off to sleep, she thought about the battle she knew was awaiting them with Naraku. Now that Inuyasha was with them, she felt hope growing.

For the first time in a long time, she slept peacefully.

To be continued…


	3. The Lullaby and the Prophecy

**Chapter 3: The Lullaby and the Prophecy**

They were six days away from Kagome's aunt's town.

Inuyasha didn't know what he was going to do for those six days. He was naturally rather stir-crazy; it's why he didn't stay in towns for very long.

Well, that and the whole youkai-being-hunted thing.

It was almost worse on the ship. It wasn't small by any means, but there wasn't a whole lot of privacy. Inuyasha just stayed in the room when Miroku left, but he was surrounded by the other man's items and trapped in a room that wasn't his own, so he never truly felt like he could relax.

Would he ever feel that way? When was the last time he actually felt relaxed?

He thought back. _At least a few hundred years,_ he decided.

In the afternoon of his third day on the ship, he was sitting on his cot fuming over his current predicament. Sometimes that was all he could do.

He'd skipped breakfast and lunch, his appetite completely gone. He took back what he'd said about not being seasick. They'd hit some choppy waters that morning, and it had been so bad that it woke Inuyasha up from his restless slumber.

His stomach had been turning and flipping all morning, so he didn't even want to risk eating.

Instead, he'd resigned himself to his seat on his cot in an attempt to dispel his ever-present restlessness.

The sound of a knock at the door made him jump. He could tell it was Kagome from the aura, so he just grunted a reply.

Opening the door slowly, Kagome peaked her head in and smiled.

"Hi," she greeted. "You weren't at breakfast or lunch, so I brought you some food."

Inuyasha frowned. "I'm not hungry." Kagome eyed him; he hoped his face wasn't as flushed as he felt like it was from his recent nausea.

"We hit some rough waters this morning," Kagome noted. "For first-time sailors, it can be hard to acclimate." She moved to sit down on the bed across from him and presented a bowl.

Inuyasha dared to peer at it and was met with the sight of a disgusting, brownish, mushy excuse for a meal.

"What is that?" he demanded, disgusted. "That doesn't even look edible."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I know it looks gross, but it helps with seasickness. It's got special herbs that help with nausea and dizziness."

Inuyasha didn't want to eat it, he really didn't, but he was feeling sicker by the moment, so he'd crossed the line into desperation.

"Fine," he said, reluctantly taking the bowl. He took a hesitant bite, but was pleasantly surprised by a lack of taste.

"What is this?" he asked as he swallowed the first bite. "It doesn't taste like anything."

Kagome smiled. "There's a special herb in there that helps mask the taste. I don't usually include it because it tends to make the stew mushier, but I figured no taste would be more important to you than it looking pretty."

Inuyasha took another bite and felt his stomach start to settle. He had to admit that it helped, so he tried to finish it as quickly as possible without looking like a barbarian.

Kagome had looked away, as if giving him privacy to eat his meal. She was looking around at his side of the room.

"Are you comfortable in here?" she asked as Inuyasha handed her the empty bowl. He'd practically licked it clean.

Inuyasha shrugged. "I guess. It could be worse. I've _had_ worse."

The captain looked at him for a moment. "If it's any consolation, everyone on this ship understands that. We've all had it worse, so I hope the home we have here can make you feel a little better." Inuyasha blushed at the sincere tone in her voice.

"Keh," he scoffed. "You're mushier than the stew."

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "Sense of humor, huh? I wouldn't have pegged you for that, but we all have our surprises."

It seemed like the woman in front of him was the epitome of surprises.

"So what do you people do on the ship all day?" Inuyasha asked in an attempt to change the subject. "There's nowhere to go on here and you've got a guy steering the ship. Doesn't seem like there's much else to do."

Kagome shifted on the bed so she could cross her legs. "Well, there are always chores to be done. Mopping the deck, cooking the food, and some other stuff that's just become mundane to us."

Inuyasha frowned. "Are you one of those pirates that forces their crewmen to do all the dirty work for them?"

Instead of getting defensive like he'd expected, Kagome just laughed.

"Not all," she chirped. "It's very likely that you'll see me up top mopping away. It's like I said, Inuyasha. I'm not like other pirates."

Inuyasha huffed. "Well, I hope you don't expect me to do any of that crap."

Kagome shrugged and smiled. "Not right away. Once you start feeling like part of our crew, then we'll see."

For some strange reason, that sparked Inuyasha's temper.

"Let's get one thing straight," he growled. "I will _never_ feel like part of your crew. I'm here because we have the same goal. That's it. Once that goal is accomplished, I'm gone. You'll never see me again."

The frown that came from Kagome seemed more hurt than mad.

"I hope you'll change your mind someday," she replied quietly. "Believe it or not, you fit right in with us. We were all outcasts once. We've all faced ostracization and abuse and ridicule. This is our safe place. Our _home._ "

Inuyasha scoffed again. "Yeah, well, not for me. Knock yourselves out, though. I couldn't care less."

Sighing heavily, Kagome stood up from the bed.

"I'll leave you be for now," she said as she began to exit the room. "If you need anything, just come up top. I'll be on the deck. _Mopping._ "

If he hadn't been so annoyed about her assuming he'd want to be here for the long haul, he might have smirked.

But he _was_ annoyed, so he just looked away from her.

Once the door was closed, he heard her sigh again before she headed back down the corridor.

Inuyasha leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

He was immensely frustrated at her assumption, but he was also angry at himself.

He almost _wanted_ to belong with them. There were times when being alone did start to get to him, but he always tried to ignore it.

Besides, they might have all suffered, but he'd suffered differently. They would never understand the kind of ridicule and fear that came from being hanyo. Yeah, there were other things they could identify with, but not that. No one could.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome was deeply troubled by her conversation with Inuyasha.

She channeled her upset and frustration into mopping the deck. Reflecting back on his words, she grimaced.

_I will_ never _feel like part of your crew._

It was maddening. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting from him after they defeated Naraku, but she certainly hadn't expected that sort of reactionl. She meant what she'd told him; they really did all understand loss and abuse. They could understand Inuyasha, especially Kagome.

Inuyasha was more like her than he realized. That bond of which he was so unaware sparked hope in her.

From the bottom of her soul, she hoped he would change his mind.

"Captain Higurashi?"

Sango's cautious voice came from behind Kagome.

She paused her mopping and turned around to face the other woman whom was currently in her usual disguise.

"Hey, Sango," she greeted. "What's up?"

Sango looked hesitant. "Well, you have 'angst' written all over your back. It almost looks like you're about to snap the mop in half."

Kagome sighed. "Is it that obvious?" she asked. Sango nodded sympathetically.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. Kagome kindly waved off her concern.

"I'm okay," she assured her. "I talked with Inuyasha and...well, it was going well until it wasn't going well."

Sango approached the captain and gently took the mop from her hands. "I'll finish," she offered. "Why don't you go rest in your quarters?"

Kagome shook her head. "I need to be doing something. I need the distraction."

Sango looked around them to make sure they were alone. "Why don't you go for a swim?" she murmured, her voice nearly inaudible. "That usually helps."

Kagome shook her head again. "I can't risk it. It's not safe, especially with Inuyasha around now."

Understanding her caution, Sango nodded. "Okay, Captain. I'd still like to finish mopping for you, though. I'd hate to see the mop get injured."

Kagome laughed and let Sango take it from her. "Alright. Just this once."

Sango smiled and started the chore. "Miroku mentioned something about a music night. It's been a while since we've done that, and I think it would be a nice way to have a breather for at least one night."

Kagome smiled brightly at the idea. "Yes, definitely. That's a fantastic idea. It feels like we haven't done that in forever. We can announce it at dinner."

She parted ways with Sango soon after, feeling much better after the suggestion. She loved their music nights; the whole crew sat around with their instruments of choice and played whatever songs they wanted.

Later that evening, Kagome was well-aware of the fact that Inuyasha hadn't left Miroku's quarters all day. She hoped that he would come to dinner. If he didn't, she would just drag him out.

Sure enough, the hanyo didn't attend dinner. Kagome announced the music night nonetheless, and was faced with a grand round of cheers. Everyone loved music nights.

After everyone dispersed to grab their instruments, Kagome went to Miroku's room to fetch Inuyasha.

She knocked on the door and heard the same gruff not-quite-answer he'd given this morning. She tried to calm herself and ignore the hurt she still felt from earlier. Now wasn't the time to dwell on it.

"Hey," she greeted when she opened the door and walked in. Inuyasha was still on his cot, but he was laying on his side with one hand propping his head up.

_How did he manage to stay in here all day?_ she wondered. _It would drive me crazy._

"You're coming up to the deck with me now," she announced. "Captain's orders."

Inuyasha frowned and sat up. "Excuse me?"

"You're coming up with me," Kagome repeated. "Right now. Let's go."

The hanyo's eyes were wide with surprise at what she knew he would describe as her _audacity._

"No," he denied firmly. "Nope."

Kagome sighed and tried to think of how she could get him to come up.

She grinned evilly as an idea came to her mind.

She began clapping her hands as loudly as she could. Her words wouldn't work, so maybe she could annoy him into coming with her.

Inuyasha growled as his sensitive ears immediately flattened down on his head.

"Shut up!" he yelled. "What's your problem?"

"Come up to the deck!" Kagome shouted back without faltering her clapping. "I won't stop unless you come up!"

Knowing his sensitive hearing couldn't take much more, Kagome figured he was about to break.

_In three, two, one…_

"Fine!" he bellowed. "Just stop clapping!"

Kagome immediately stopped clapping and smiled. "Great! Let's go."

O.o.O.o.O

Grumbling and muttering insults under his breath, Inuyasha got up and followed Kagome out of Miroku's room.

"We have to stop in my quarters first and then we'll head up," Kagome informed him as they made their way.

Inuyasha followed, his irritation growing by the second.

It wasn't until they'd entered Kagome's quarters that his irritation turned into curiosity.

When she reached her bed, she dropped to her knees and crawled nearly halfway under it as if looking for something.

Apparently she found it; she squealed in delight and began pulling something out.

Inuyasha was shocked to see her pull out a cello and bow.

"Why do you have that under your bed?" he asked.

Kagome stood up and began dusting off the instrument. "I don't play it as often as I'd like, and it takes up a lot of space. It's easier to store it under the bed."

She plucked at the strings and began tuning it. When it appeared that she was pleased with the adjusted sounds, she easily picked up the instrument and beckoned Inuyasha to follow her up to the deck.

The hanyo was surprised to find her crewman already gathered in a circle on the deck with their own instruments. He saw a vast array of different types.

Miroku and Sango were present and armed with a violin and a mandolin, respectively.

Kagome led Inuyasha over to two empty seats and motioned for him to sit down next to her.

"We have some extra instruments if you want to play something," Kagome offered.

Inuyasha just shook his head. He almost scoffed. As if he would know how to play an instrument.

But he didn't scoff. He found himself interested in what was happening around him.

Kagome didn't push him. Instead, she looked around at her crew and smiled.

"What are we starting with?" she asked. One of the crewmen suggested a common folk song that Inuyasha heard bands play often in human towns.

When they all started playing, Inuyasha's eyes widened. They were all perfectly in-sync, and he had to admit that his eyes drifted to Kagome more often than he'd like. He couldn't help it; there was something mesmerizing in how she played.

She played the cello effortlessly, as if it were second-nature. Her eyes were lit up as she played with the crew.

It was like nothing Inuyasha had ever seen. It was like a lucid dream. The music rang out into the night, and Inuyasha could have sworn the moon began to shine brighter as they played on.

It was...magical.

They played for what felt like hours. Inuyasha was enthralled by every moment.

He was surprised to find himself disappointed when Kagome announced the end of music night.

"Nice job, everyone," she complimented her crew. "Are we ready for our usual closing song?"

The crew agreed quietly and prepared to play their last song.

Kagome began playing the cello again, but it was different this time.

This time, she sang.

She was obviously throwing her voice down a few octaves to maintain her usual masculine disguise.

It wasn't so much her voice that startled him.

It was the words of the song she began to sing.

" _By the light of the moon we sing,_

_Our eyes dark but our quiet voices ring._

_I hold you close and you do the same,_

_Your voice is soft as you whisper my name._

_The stars shine brightly above us,_

_Beckoning us quietly, darling, so hush._

_I'll be here in the morning,_

_Holding you close in the warming_

_Embrace of my arms._

_For I am yours,_

_And you are mine."_

Inuyasha's heart nearly stopped beating.

He knew that song. It was a lullaby that his mother used to sing to him. She'd told him that his father had taught her and that it was important for Inuyasha to know. Very, very few humans in the world knew the song; it was an ancient youkai lullaby that was hundreds of years old from long before the Great War.

How did Kagome know it?

It was quiet for a moment after Kagome finished singing.

"Music night has concluded," she announced quietly, breaking the silence.

The crew all congratulated each other on their playing before thanking Kagome and returning to their quarters.

Miroku and Sango made their way over to Kagome and Inuyasha.

"Did you enjoy music night, Inuyasha?" Sango asked kindly.

Still struck by Kagome's song, he vaguely realized that he had nodded.

"That's great!" Miroku said. "Happy to hear it."

The two crewmen chatted with Kagome before they decided to head to their respective quarters to retire for the night.

Inuyasha reluctantly followed Miroku even though a thousand questions were burning on his tongue. It made no sense for Kagome to know that song. He wanted to ask her how she'd learned it. He wanted to know who had taught it to her. He _needed_ to know.

The hanyo silently followed Miroku to his quarters, only half-listening to his occasional chatter.

"Good night," Miroku said after they'd gone to their respective beds.

"Night," Inuyasha mumbled back.

Miroku's breathing evened out soon after, but sleep evaded Inuyasha. There were too many questions running through his mind, and those questions soon turned to memories of his mother...

Ten minutes after he'd laid down, he got up and made his way to Kagome's quarters. That was a special song; he needed to know how she'd learned it.

He knocked on her door and was invited in a moment later.

When he entered, he saw Kagome in her bed with her hat off and hair down, much like the previous night he'd come to her quarters.

"Hi, Inuyasha," she greeted. "What can I do for you?"

Inuyasha closed the door behind him but didn't answer her question.

He could see the concern in Kagome's eyes.

"Do you want to sit down?" she asked.

Her cello was leaning against the chair he'd sat in the previous night, so Inuyasha found himself making his way over to her bed and sitting on the edge of it.

"The song you were singing," he began. "How do you know it?"

Kagome crossed her legs and leaned forward on her knees.

"I learned it when I was a little girl," she replied. "Why?"

Inuyasha eyed her. "It's a youkai lullaby. You shouldn't know it. Almost no humans at all know it."

Kagome's gaze was unfathomable. "I guess I'm one of those humans."

Inuyasha shook his head. "But it doesn't make sense."

Then something clicked.

Kagome had said her mother was a miko, so could it be that her father was a youkai? It didn't seem possible with the conflicting powers, but...

"Are you a hanyo?" he asked incredulously.

Kagome's eyes widened at his question. "What? Why would you think that?"

Inuyasha kept rolling with it. "You said your mother was a miko, but you didn't say much about your father. I've never heard of a miko procreating with a youkai, but I guess it could be possible. You know a youkai lullaby. What else could be the explanation?"

Inuyasha's eyes bore into her.

"Kagome, are you a hanyo?"

Kagome was quiet for a moment before she finally answered him.

"No," she finally said. "I'm not a hanyo." She looked away from him, hesitating. "But...a hanyo taught the song to me."

Inuyasha was taken aback. "You know a hanyo? How?"

Kagome shook her head. "I knew him when I was young. He's...not around anymore."

The new information was processing slowly in Inuyasha's mind.

Kagome finally looked back at him. "Did your parents sing it to you?" she asked, switching the focus onto him.

The hanyo frowned. "My old man died before I was born," he replied harshly. His thoughts drifted to his mother, and he inevitably softened. "But...he taught it to my mother. She sang it to me when I was a kid."

Kagome smiled. "That's a nice memory to have of your mother."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he locked eyes with Kagome.

There was that familiarity.

There was something about her that made him feel like he was understood. He knew it was impossible, but it was still there.

They went quiet for a few moments until Kagome laughed quietly.

"I guess it's strange to hear it in a man's voice, though," she said. "When I'm with the crew, I have to adjust my voice a bit to keep my cover."

Inuyasha looked away, blushing a bit. "Do you...do you know how to sing it in your normal voice?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kagome's hand pat the bed next to her. Looking up again, he saw her smiling and motioning to the spot next to her.

As if the action were out of his control, Inuyasha moved up to sit next to her, his lower back against a pillow and his head against the headboard.

Kagome got comfortable and closed her eyes.

She soon began singing again, this time in a distinctly feminine tone. She kept her voice low, but his sensitive hearing clung to every word.

Inuyasha's own eyes closed as she sang, and he thought back to his mother.

He hung on Kagome's every note and allowed it to soothe him in a way he hadn't felt in what seemed like forever.

He began to feel drowsy, and he soon felt his body start to relax as Kagome began singing the song again as soon as she finished it the first time.

The song was resonating in Inuyasha's mind as he fell asleep.

O.o.O.o.O

When Kagome woke up the next morning, she was alone. The other side of her bed was warm, but there was no longer a hanyo occupying it.

She was surprised to have seen him fall asleep. When he was asleep, he looked peaceful. His breathing was even and no worry lines marred his face.

He was...beautiful.

She stayed in bed for a little while longer as she reflected on the previous night's events.

She was so used to singing that song at the end of every music night. She hadn't even considered the fact that Inuyasha would know it, but when he asked her about it, she wasn't surprised.

At this point, it was safe to say that Inuyasha had realized she had a connection to youkai. Kagome didn't want him to know any more about it until they reached her aunt's village, so she hoped he wouldn't ask.

_Not likely,_ she reminded herself. _It seems like all he does is ask questions._

She sighed. She couldn't blame him. If she were in his position, she wouldn't stop asking until she got those answers.

After she'd gotten ready for the day, she left her quarters and headed down to the galley for breakfast.

Kagome was pleasantly surprised to see Inuyasha already in the galley with Miroku. When she sat down next to the silver-haired man, he glanced at her for a moment before looking away with a blush on his face.

It was hard to stifle her chuckle at his awkwardness, but she managed.

"Good morning," she greeted Inuyasha and Miroku as she sat down.

"Good morning, Captain," Miroku replied. Sango joined them soon after, and they had a relatively peaceful meal.

Inuyasha was rather quiet for the rest of the day.

Kagome wanted to ask what was wrong, but honestly, she didn't feel like she had the right to. She wished there was something she could do to help Inuyasha feel more at ease.

When she was singing last night and he fell asleep in her bed, she felt like they were getting somewhere. He seemed so peaceful and content in his sleep.

Despite that, it felt like they had just gone two steps backward instead of a step forward. She figured it had to do with him being embarrassed. He'd looked _vulnerable_ last night, and he must have known it. What else does someone look like when they sleep?

Especially someone as exhausted as she knew Inuyasha was.

He came to lunch and dinner, but he was quiet. Kagome almost wished he would yell or try to fight or insult her.

But he did nothing.

He silently left the galley right after dinner had finished. Kagome stared after him, trying to figure out what she should do.

"Did something happen?" Miroku asked. "He's not as...fired-up as usual."

The captain sighed. "No, nothing happened," she replied. She figured it was best to keep what had transpired in her quarters private. "But what can we expect? He's not going to be happy-go-lucky after we forced him to join us."

"Did music night help?" Sango asked. "He seemed to enjoy it. Well, maybe his version of enjoying something. He didn't look mad."

Kagome shrugged. "He told me yesterday afternoon that he would never feel like one of us."

Miroku winced. "He's more like us than he understands, especially you. Captain, you need to tell him."

Sighing heavily, Kagome shook her head. "We'll be at my aunt's house in a couple days. As long as we can make it until then, we'll be fine. Everything will be explained."

Sango frowned. "Don't you think he'll react badly if everything gets dumped on him at once?"

Kagome hesitated. "Well...I already told him some stuff." She subtly glanced around to make sure none of the other crewmen were paying attention. "He figured out that I have miko powers. I also told him a little bit about Kikyo."

Miroku seemed relieved. "Well, then that's great. It shouldn't be that bad then."

Kagome huffed. "Miroku, I didn't tell him everything. He just knows about Kikyo's existence and her role in the war. That's it."

Miroku and Sango both grimaced. "Yeah, he's gonna freak out," Sango said.

Kagome sighed. "Fingers crossed this doesn't blow up in our faces."

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha was over four-hundred years old and had been on his own for just over three-hundred-fifty years. He was strong, agile, and cunning. He was scrappy and clever and knew how to deal with an emergency or a life-or-death situation.

But then came Kagome…

He'd been in battle many times, especially during the war when he fought alongside Sesshomaru. He'd never killed any humans, but sometimes he had to fight back when they would attack. He wasn't afraid of blood or gore or fighting.

And yet somehow, he was afraid of Kagome.

_No, afraid isn't the right word,_ he realized. _I'm...unsettled._

Kagome kept getting under his skin. When it came to her, he felt like he kept going from mad, to curious, and then right back to mad.

But last night was something entirely different.

When she'd invited him to sit with her in her quarters, he hated that he said yes. The way she sang, though, that roped him in. Her voice was soft and soothing, and he honestly couldn't help falling asleep.

Waking up next to her had been one of the strangest moments of his life.

Her back was to him as she slept on her side facing away from him. Her long, messy hair was strewn all over the pillow and her breathing was steady and even.

_Beautiful..._

When he realized where he was and what he was thinking, he jumped out of the bed and nearly fell flat on the floor.

He steadied himself silently and tried to calm his breathing. The soothing feeling from the way she'd sang was still buzzing through his body. He was embarrassed beyond all belief to have done something as intimate as sharing a bed with her.

_Nothing happened, stupid,_ he chided himself. _It's not like you guys did anything._

His cheeks went up in flames. He needed to get out of there.

Without making any noise, he left Kagome's quarters and crept back to Miroku's. Opening the door silently, he slipped in and went straight to his cot.

He laid down and pulled the blanket over his head to block out everything else.

Unsettled. It was the only way he could explain what he was feeling.

Sleep evaded him, so he just waited until Miroku began stirring to act like he himself was just waking up as well.

Breakfast had been a painfully embarrassing affair. He almost wished he could credit it to a childish awkwardness, but he was twenty-six in human years with a fully-developed brain. He didn't have an excuse, but that was what it felt like. He felt _childish_ and stupid.

He disappeared between meals and hid out on the top deck. The lull of the waves distracted him. He allowed the bright sunshine to warm his face and tried to get it to somehow burn off his out-of-whack emotions. No such luck.

After a silent lunch and a silent dinner, he returned to Miroku's quarters and sulked on his cot.

Miroku entered sooner than Inuyasha expected he would, but he didn't comment.

"Hey," Miroku greeted.

Inuyasha nodded a silent greeting but said nothing.

As if purposefully trying to irritate the hanyo, Miroku came and sat down on his bed across from the cot.

"Would you like to talk?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha raised his eyebrows and felt a frown creep onto his face.

"Talk?" he repeated. "About what?"

Miroku shrugged. "Whatever you want. We're all on this ship together. It might help to get to know us so you can watch out for our weird little quirks."

Inuyasha almost smirked, but he kept a steady face. "If you all just stay away from me, then I won't have to worry about your dumb quirks. Plus, I already know that you're a lecher, which, frankly, is more than enough."

Miroku waved off his insult. "Oh, come now," he said, taking the hanyo's attitude in stride. "That's just what Kagome and Sango say. We're man-to-man now."

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha didn't respond.

Suddenly, an idea came to him.

_Maybe I can get some answers,_ he realized. _They're all so annoyingly cryptic. Maybe I can find something out from Miroku. He blabs enough already, so I might as well try and use it to my advantage._

"Alright, fine," Inuyasha conceded. "I'll play along."

Miroku smiled. "Excellent."

"But I want to ask you something first," Inuyasha added quickly. Miroku nodded.

"Go ahead," he replied.

Inuyasha thought for a moment, trying to figure what to ask first. "How did you and Kagome and Sango meet?"

Miroku's smile faltered slightly, and Inuyasha almost felt a twinge of pity.

"Sango and I were already traveling together when we met Kagome," he began. "She was trying to find a crew and we wanted somewhere to belong, so we became a team. Ten years later, here we are."

"Kagome told me you and Sango were with each other before you met her," he countered. "I knew that stuff already."

Miroku huffed. "Sango and I had been traveling together for a year before we met Kagome. There, you didn't know that, right?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Whatever."

Miroku's smile returned. "I know it's hard being thrust into a pirate's life," he began sincerely, "but we really do just want to help. We have the same goal."

"Why were you all on your own?" Inuyasha asked, ignoring Miroku's sappy words. "You guys can't be more than twenty-four or twenty-five, right? Why were you alone when you were so young?"

Sighing, Miroku leaned back on his hands. "I don't want to speak for Kagome or Sango. I'll leave them to tell you their own stories."

He paused for a moment before speaking again. "I come from a long line of monks," he explained. "My father, his father, his father's father, and so on. When I was three, my father died during a youkai attack on the monastery. One of the other monks, Mushin, took me in and raised me. When I was a teenager, a youkai slaughtered the rest of the monks in the monastery, including Mushin. I was the only one that survived."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "A youkai attacked a monastery full of monks?" he asked incredulously. "That's impossible. I would have known about that."

Miroku shrugged. "I'm sure there are at least a couple of youkai that manage to keep a low profile," he suggested. "They can't all be accounted for."

Inuyasha frowned but didn't answer. "So you escaped?" Inuyasha continued. "Did you just run and leave everyone?"

Miroku grimaced. "The youkai injured all of us," he replied. "No one would have left anyone for dead. We were a family, so we all stayed right up to the very end. I was with Mushin when he died. When I recovered enough, I was the only one left alive. That's when I left."

Inuyasha mulled over his words. He was still bothered by the rogue youkai, but he didn't comment on it anymore.

"That sucks," Inuyasha finally said.

Miroku chuckled. "It did for a while," he replied. "But then I met Sango and eventually we met Kagome and joined her. Now we have a goal and we won't stop until we've accomplished it."

Inuyasha pondered the new information. He realized that if there was one thing they understood like him, it was grief.

"What made you and Sango team up?" Inuyasha asked.

Miroku smiled. "It was love at first sight," he said. "After that, I knew I wanted to be with her no matter what."

_Um, ew…_

"So are you guys married or something?" the hanyo asked. Miroku shook his head.

"No," he replied. "We're not together...yet. I'm still trying to win her over after all these years."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You really are a lecher."

Miroku laughed. "What about you?" he asked. "Do you have a woman waiting for you anywhere?"

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed. "Yeah, right. Besides, I'm not looking for no woman to be with so I don't really care."

Miroku shrugged. "Companionship can be nice," he countered kindly. "Be it romantic or friendship, it never hurts to have someone."

Inuyasha looked away. "I don't need anyone," he grumbled. "I'm fine on my own."

Sighing, Miroku stood up and headed toward the door of his quarters. "I sincerely hope you'll change your mind. You might be fine on your own, but that doesn't mean you have to _stay_ on your own. I have to go now. It's my night to mop the deck." He gave Inuyasha a parting smile before leaving the room.

Inuyasha reflected on his words. He'd been alone for so long that being with other people never even seemed like an option.

He lay back on his cot. His head was spinning from the interaction with Miroku, and he was starting to feel an odd stirring in his chest.

The more he talked to them and learned about them, the more he _wanted_ to stick around. He had told Kagome and Miroku he didn't want to, but the desire to finally stop being alone was creeping around in his brain. He kept trying to convince himself that good things never last and he would never truly belong anywhere, but it was getting harder as he learned more about the rag-tag crew.

He sighed and got up off of his cot. Hopefully he could sneak up to the deck and watch the ocean again. He just needed something to take his mind off of his conflicting thoughts.

After quietly opening the door, he glanced out to make sure no one was around. Deciding he was safe, he crept up and made his way to the deck.

It was even calmer than he remembered. As he peered out into the vast expanse of water, he took a deep breath and let the sea breeze gently brush through his hair.

"Are you enjoying the view?"

Inuyasha nearly jumped in surprise. He'd been so focused on the sight before him that he hadn't even noticed Kagome approaching.

He spared her a glance before looking back at the water.

"Yeah," he said, gaze staying on the light waves.

Kagome came to stand next to him and took a deep breath. "It has a different vibe at night, yeah? It's more...peaceful."  
Inuyasha hummed quietly in agreement.

They stood like that for a few moments, basking in the moonlight and settling into a comfortable silence.

Finally, Inuyasha glanced at her. "So, uh, Miroku told me how he found Sango."

Kagome seemed surprised. "Did he tell you about her?"  
Inuyasha shook his head. "No, just himself. He said it's her story to tell." Kagome nodded.

"Good...Sango isn't open about her past like he is." She sighed. "Miroku lost a lot of family when he was very young." The captain looked at him meaningfully. "We all did."

Inuyasha locked gazes with her for a moment, trying to figure out what to say.

"And you?" he asked. "You said your family is gone, but were you young like Miroku and Sango?"

Kagome nodded. "I lost my mother soon after I was born and then my father when I was thirteen."

Knowing he was probably going to regret it, Inuyasha spoke. "I lost my father first and then my mother. I had my mother for a while but she was human so…"

_He'd already told her his parents were gone, so a few more details wouldn't hurt, right?_

As if she understood, she sighed. "One day, it'll all be worth it. I hope that day comes soon, but if it doesn't, then we'll just have to wait a little while longer."

Uncertain of how to respond, Inuyasha just fell into silence. They stayed up on the deck admiring the water for a long time.

Finally, Kagome yawned and announced she was heading to bed. "Stay up here as long as you want," she said. She smirked. "But you were probably going to do that anyway."

Unable to help himself, Inuyasha gave her a half-smile back.

"Good night," Kagome said as she hopped down from the deck.

"Night," he called back.

When she was gone, he sighed. That nagging feeling was back, so he forced it down again.

_Don't get comfortable here,_ he scolded himself. _This is temporary. Besides, why would I even want to stay with them anyway?_

He groaned. It was getting harder to convince himself.

O.o.O.o.O

The next couple days passed by relatively smoothly, which pleased Kagome to no end. Inuyasha wasn't as withdrawn as he had been, but he still wasn't peachy-keen with the crew.

It was alright, though. She felt like a little progress had been made, no matter how small it might have been. The ache in her soul that had taken up residence since the passing of her parents was feeling less and less intense. The hole was starting to close up, little by little. Kagome felt the bond between herself and Inuyasha deepen, even if he couldn't feel it quite yet.

On the day they were set to port in her aunt's town, she came up to the deck to see the town coming into view. She searched for a decent marina at which they could dock the ship. After consulting with her helmsman, they made a plan to dock and headed toward the town.

Inuyasha was, as usual, hiding in the quarters he shared with Miroku. The hanyo had gotten better about coming out more, but he was still holed up in the cabin more often than not.

Kagome gently knocked on the door and entered when she heard Inuyasha's usual grunt.

"We're almost to the town," she informed him when she walked in. Inuyasha looked relieved; Kagome could practically feel the fidgety energy radiating off of him.

"Thank the kami," he said sarcastically. "I was wondering when I'd be able to get off this freakin' ship. I don't know how you people live your lives like this, I swear."

Unable to hide her amusement, Kagome laughed. "We've gotten used to it. After a while, it's not so bad."

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed quietly as he got up from his cot and grabbed his cloak. "Never thought I'd be glad to be in a place full of human civilization, but here I am."

Kagome rolled her eyes goodnaturedly and led him out of the room and up to the deck.

Inuyasha's surprise at the sight of the town wasn't lost on him. Miroku had told him that it was one of the largest ports and biggest towns in Japan, which was convenient for pirates. It was easy to get lost in the crowd, so that was a plus for them.

"It's huge," Kagome said, stating the obvious. "We know the town well, though, so we won't get lost."

Inuyasha seemed surprised. "You come here that often?"

Kagome nodded. "I was born and raised in this town. It was my first home before this ship."

Obviously stunned into silence, Inuyasha didn't answer. She was trying to be more open, and she hoped it wasn't lost on him.

A few moments later, she left Inuyasha up on the deck while she went down to find Miroku and Sango. Since Miroku hadn't been in his quarters with Inuyasha, he figured he was with Sango.

She rolled her eyes as she felt their auras as she approached Sango's room. _He'll never learn, will he?_ she thought to herself. She could feel Miroku's love for Sango radiating from his aura, so she figured he was once again professing his feelings for her.

Kagome knocked on the door and Sango soon opened it with a blush on her face.

"Captain!" she said brightly, feigning nonchalance. "How wonderful to see you!"

Frowning, Kagome entered the room and eyed Miroku, chiding him silently.

"Inuyasha and I will be visiting my aunt by ourselves," she said. "It'll be a lot for him to take in, so I think it's best if we go alone."

Miroku and Sango nodded, immediately going serious. "That sounds like a good plan," Miroku said. "Please give your aunt our love, though. I think I can speak for Sango when I say we miss her terribly."

Sango scoffed. "I don't need you to speak for me, lecher." Her eyes softened when she looked back at Kagome. "But...yes, please give her my love."

Kagome smiled. "I will."

After a few more moments of planning, Kagome went back to her quarters to get her usual disguise.

Upon returning to the deck, she found Inuyasha in the same spot she'd left him. By the look of things, they would be at the town in just a few minutes.

"Hey," she greeted as she handed him the same black hat he'd worn in the last town. "We'll be there really soon, so go ahead and put your cloak on." Inuyasha silently obliged and made sure his ears were covered by the hat and his hair was covered by the collar of his cloak.

"We'll need to stop as usual so I can change," she said quietly. "It won't take long, though."

Once they made it to the marina and docked the ship, Kagome and Inuyasha departed from the crew. Like last time, they stopped at a neighboring forest so Kagome could change.

She noticed Inuyasha looking at her oddly when she emerged in a dress with her hair down, but he didn't say anything, so neither did she.

As they headed in the direction of her aunt's house, she took a deep breath.

It was going to be a long day.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha kicked himself as they walked through Kagome's aunt's town. His heart had done the same thing it had last time he saw her in her feminine attire, but this time was worse.

He thought about the last time he'd seen her with her long, wild hair down. It took him back to the soothing way she'd sang to him and the peaceful sleep he'd had in her bed.

_Get it together,_ he growled at himself. _That's not the focus here._

He thought about his main priority: getting some answers.

If Kagome's aunt could fill in the many blanks left by the crew, he would feel better about this whole thing. It was like he was blindly searching for a string of any sort of explanation. Once he learned more, he would feel better.

They wanted him to be part of their _team._ He wasn't going to do that if they were always keeping secrets.

Once they told him everything, he would make his decision.

It was a quiet walk that seemed much longer than he knew it really was. The town was busy and bustling as they made their way through it. It had Inuyasha a little anxious and on edge after spending a week on a ship, but he dealt with it like always.

Soon enough, they approached a small house on the edge of the town. It had a small garden in front of it. From the smell of the herbs growing in the garden, Inuyasha figured she must be some sort of herbalist or healer.

_This must be her mother's sister,_ he concluded. _Miko use these kinds of herbs._

Inuyasha wasn't certain, but it seemed like Kagome hesitated before knocking on the front door.

After a moment, the door opened to reveal an elderly woman. She smiled bright at the sight of Kagome.

"My girl!" the woman greeted brightly. I'm so happy to see you!"

Kagome greeted her quietly before opening her arms to wrap her in an embrace.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed suspiciously. _I thought Kagome said it was her aunt_ , he wondered. _This woman looks_ way _too old to just be her aunt. Could she actually be her grandmother?_

Just how was she related to her? What was Kagome trying to pull?

After parting from her embrace with Kagome, the old woman turned to Inuyasha and smiled before bowing politely.

"I see my dear Kagome has found you," she said warmly. "It is an honor to meet you. My name is Kaede." She opened the door wider and motioned for the pair to enter the house.

"Please come in," she said. "I'll put on the kettle for some tea."

She showed them to a quaint sitting room before going to the kitchen.

Inuyasha immediately glared at Kagome. "So you're a liar, huh?" he accused. "I thought you said this was your aunt. Obviously she's not if she's that freakin' _old_."

Kagome sighed. "I know what it looks like, but she is my aunt," she insisted. "Just...wait for her to explain."

Nearly ready to get up and leave, Inuyasha restrained himself and tried to stay calm. _Just think about Naraku,_ he reminded himself. _Kagome is the only way to get to him._

Kaede returned a few minutes later with teacups in each hand. As she passed them to Kagome and Inuyasha, she smiled at the hanyo again.

"What's your name?" she asked as she handed him his cup of tea.

"Inuyasha," he said curtly. Kaede nodded before sitting down next to Kagome on a small couch.

"And I sense from your aura that you are a hanyo, yes?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded his confirmation.

Kaede turned to Kagome. "I'm so glad you succeeded," she said kindly. "You're one step closer."

Inuyasha nearly exploded. "Listen, old woman," he said menacingly. "Kagome said you would have the answers she refuses to give me, so give it up."

Kagome glared at Inuyasha. "Don't speak to her like that!" she scolded harshly. "Quit being a jerk!"

Kaede frowned. "What all has my niece told you?"

Kagome quickly ran through the information Inuyasha had.

"Have you told him what the prophecy says?" she asked. Kagome shook her head.

"The bare minimum," she replied. "I figured it would be best coming from you. You're the one that heard it from Mother first, after all. She never...she never got to tell me."

Kaede set a comforting hand on her knee before turning to address Inuyasha.

" _Changes will come during a bright time,_

_Darkness descends before the world can stop it,_

_The change will come with resounding cry,_

_To the miko and the hanyo the darkness will submit,_

_With the destruction of the jewel of death,_

_Only then will the world finally rest."_

Kaede sighed after she finished. "That is the prophecy," she explained.  
Inuyasha scoffed. "So you and Kagome think I'm that hanyo and she's the miko? Seems a little strange to me. And what the heck is the 'jewel of death?'"

Kaede looked to Kagome as if asking if she could explain further. Upon Kagome's nod, Kaede turned back to Inuyasha.

"That is referring to the Shikon Jewel," she said. "When in the wrong hands, it can destroy everything in its wake. It grants incredible power to the person in possession of it, but it is dark power. It takes advantage of the possessor and feeds off the evil in their heart. The miko and the hanyo in the prophecy are destined to destroy it. Only then will the darkness in this world finally fade."

Inuyasha frowned. He'd never heard of the Shikon Jewel.

"So how do you know that Kagome and I are the ones in the prophecy?" he asked.

Kagome exchanged a look with Kaede before taking over the explanation.

"Do you remember we talked about Kikyo?" Kagome asked him.

"Yeah," he said curtly. "The miko from the Great War."

Kagome paused. "Well, she was the guardian of the jewel. Her job was to keep it purified and untainted. The prophecy came to her in a dream first, and since she was in possession of the jewel, she figured she was the miko it was referring to. She didn't know what the darkness would be until the war began. When the world slowly began to change before the fighting really started, she searched for a hanyo to help her."

Inuyasha frowned. "I'm guessing she didn't find one."

Kagome smiled. "No, she did. He was half-human and half-ningyo."

"Half- _ningyo?_ " Inuyasha repeated. "No one can be half-mermaid. How is that possible?"

"The ningyo transformed into a human," Kagome explained. "She fell in love with the hanyo's human father, so she decided to live out her life with him in her transformed body."

Inuyasha nodded slowly. "Okay...so then Kikyo teamed up with that hanyo?"

"Yes, she thought they were the ones from the prophecy," Kagome continued. "She looked everywhere until she finally came across the aura of the hanyo and convinced him to help her try and purify the jewel."

"How did they go about doing that?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome hesitated. "Well, Kikyo made a mistake," she began. "She thought the way to purify the jewel would be to use it to purify a person."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "So she turned the hanyo into a human?"

Kagome shook her head. "She tried. He agreed with her if it was for the greater good of the world, but the jewel didn't grant the wish. It was then that Kikyo and the hanyo realized they must not be the miko and the hanyo from the prophecy."

All of the information at once was overwhelming Inuyasha, but he didn't care. He was getting the answers he was so desperate to have.

"So then did they part ways?" he asked. "Did Kikyo try to find another hanyo?"

Kagome smiled. "No," she replied. "They got married instead."

That surprised Inuyasha. _I've never heard of a youkai marrying a miko. Humans, yeah, but never a miko._

"So then what?" Inuyasha asked. "Did they just give up?"

Kagome shrugged. "There was nothing else they could do. Kikyo kept the jewel purified, but as the world turned to hell around them, she feared that they'd made a mistake in not trying harder to fulfill the prophecy." She sighed. "Kikyo died in the war before they could figure it out."

It was finally starting to make sense to Inuyasha as he processed everything Kagome was saying.

"Where's the jewel now?" he asked.

"It was passed down to Kikyo's daughter," Kagome explained. "She was still a baby when Kikyo died in the war, so the job of protecting the jewel was passed down to her, even as a child. The hanyo raised her until he was killed."

"How did they have a kid?" Inuyasha interjected. "The spiritual power would purify it before it was even born."

Kagome shook her head. "You have to remember that there was much more human in the child than youkai. She was only one-quarter, which is why she survived."

"Did she have spiritual powers?" Inuyasha asked. "Or youkai powers?"

Kagome chuckled. "A little of both."

Inuyasha nodded. "Okay. So does the child still have the jewel?"

Kagome shook her head. "The child and the hanyo went into hiding. The jewel was kept a secret so they thought they would be safe, but it was eventually stolen. At first it was a robbery gone wrong. The thief was very pleased to find the hidden power radiating from the jewel. The hanyo died trying to protect the child so that she could escape, but the human stole the jewel from her after killing the hanyo. The child escaped, but she was alone with no protection."

"Where is she now?" Inuyasha asked. "That must have been forty or fifty years ago. Did she die?"

Kagome shook her head. "No. She's still alive."

_Why would Kagome know this? What's her connection in all this?_

Inuyasha frowned. "How can you possibly know all this?"

Kagome didn't answer for a moment. She looked at him, as if trying to think of how to explain her next words.

"It's me," she finally said. "I'm the child. Kikyo and the hanyo were my parents."

To be continued…


	4. The Ningyo and the Hanyo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art by SPNFox! Find her on tumblr!

**Chapter 4: The Ningyo and the Hanyo**

Inuyasha's eyes widened as his jaw dropped.

" _What?_ " he shouted. "How? That's impossible! I thought you said you were fifteen when you took over this ship!"

Kagome fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I _was_ fifteen when I took over this ship," she replied. "Technically...in youkai years."

Inuyasha frowned. "So how old are you?" he asked. "Tell it to me straight. Quit beating around the bush."

The captain sighed heavily. "In human years, I'm fifty-two. I age slower because of my youkai blood, so in youkai years, I'm around nineteen or twenty."

"So you lied about the youkai lullaby!" Inuyasha shouted. "That's how you know it! 'A hanyo taught me,' whatever! Liar!"

"I didn't lie about that!" Kagome retorted harshly. "It's true! My _father_ was a hanyo. He taught me."

Inuyasha dropped his head into his hands and growled. "So you're a quarter-yokai _and_ a miko," he repeated. "So what's your purpose now? Why are you trying to find Naraku?"

To Inuyasha's surprise, he saw tears start to form in Kagome's eyes.

"Naraku is the one that stole the jewel from me and killed my father," she spat out. "That's why I'm after him. It's why I took over the ship, why I've been traipsing around as a man for a decade, and why I became a pirate. There, you got all the answers you've been wanting. Happy now?"

Inuyasha laughed humorlessly. "Not hardly, you lying little-"

"Okay, enough!" Kaede cut in.

Inuyasha went silent immediately; in his rage, he'd almost forgotten that the old woman was there.

"My sister, Kikyo, did her best," she said. "But it wasn't enough. Kagome's father had to take on the role of a single parent very unexpectedly."

Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't get why you wouldn't have just told me, _Captain Higurashi,_ " he sneered at Kagome. "You think I would have told someone? You think I, a hanyo, would have blabbed your secret all around? You've been acting all high and mighty when you've just been hiding like a pathetic little girl. How _dare_ you! Now you want to try and purify me like Kikyo tried with her hanyo? If you think I'll let you try, you're an idiot!"

Kagome's tears dried and turned to straight anger. "I don't act high and mighty!" she shouted back. "I'm doing my best to try and fix this world because it's my _destiny_. It's yours, too, whether or not you want to believe it! And the wish for the hanyo to become human didn't work. It's not the correct wish and besides, I would _never_ try to do that to you. Just stop making assumptions!"

Golden eyes flashing, Inuyasha stood up quickly and threw Kagome's black hat on the ground.

"Find another hanyo to exploit," he growled. "I'm out of here." He glared at her. "And don't even _think_ about trying to use a charm on me."

Without waiting to hear her reply or retort or yell or cry, Inuyasha threw his hood up and walked out of the house.

He walked away from Kagome's distraught aura and into the bustling town. His destination was the highest tree he could find in the nearby forest. He just needed to sit and process everything he'd learned.

_She's basically been lying to me,_ he thought to himself. _What an awful person! If I can even call her that since she's a freaking ningyo._

When he reached the forest, he jumped up into a tree about half a kilometer in and sat on a branch against the trunk.

He leaned his head against the bark and closed his eyes. His head was still spinning and his heart was racing.

He was furious, but there was also another feeling nagging at the edge of his senses. _Betrayal._

Try as he might to avoid the feeling, he'd started to feel hopeful during his short time on the ship. The way Kagome, Miroku, and Sango talked to him made him feel like maybe, just maybe, he could fit in with them at least until they'd defeated Naraku. He hadn't dared to think beyond that, but maybe…

He shook his head and scolded himself. _Idiot,_ he chided. _You should have known better._

When he felt a familiar aura approaching, he nearly stood up and ran. And yet...he didn't.

He found that no matter how horrifically angry he was, he couldn't bring himself to run from her.

He hated himself a little for feeling that way, and he also hated Kagome a little bit for being the reason why.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called up when she reached his tree.

"Go away," he grumbled halfheartedly.

Kagome sighed and easily hopped up from branch to branch into the tree.

Inuyasha's eyes widened at her inhuman agility, but then he remembered.

_She's part-youkai,_ he reminded himself. _Of course she can do that._

Kagome hesitantly sat down on the branch on which he was perched and situated herself a few meters away from him.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely as her eyes met his. "I know it's a lot, but...I didn't know how to tell you by myself."

Inuyasha frowned and turned away from her gaze. "I don't care," he lied. "I'm still not helping you."

Kagome huffed. "You're the only one that can," she insisted. "There is no one else. I've been searching for ten years, and you're the only hanyo I've heard of."

He ignored her as he stared very intently on the ground below them.

"What do you want to know?" Kagome finally said. "Now that you know the prophecy and the truth about my parents, what else do you want to know?"

Inuyasha looked up suddenly, surprised by her new willingness for candor.

"What are your skills?" he asked. "What are your youkai abilities besides the agility you just showed?"

"I'm fast and I can fight," she explained immediately. "I'm just small because of my ningyo blood." She paused to laugh. "You should have seen my father. He was a solid four inches shorter than my mother, but he was strong. I'm strong, too. My strength could honestly probably rival yours."

That annoyed Inuyasha. Deciding to ignore it for now, he continued his questioning.

"Do you have a youkai form?" he asked.

"Yes," Kagome replied. "Even though my paternal grandmother lived her life as a human, she was still a ningyo by blood. My father had a ningyo form and I inherited it." She half-smiled. "Sometimes I take swims. It helps clear my mind."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "So what? You grow a tail and flip around like a fish?"

Kagome shrugged. "Kinda. It's not as ridiculous as you make it sound."

Inuyasha stared at the woman in front of him, her ever-tousled her practically floating around her.

"I want you to show me," he demanded. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"I can't just grow a tail in a tree, Inuyasha," she replied. "It becomes uncomfortable when I'm out of water for too long in my form."

Inuyasha frowned. "Alright, fine," he retorted. "Then I want to spar."

Kagome's eyes widened. "What? Why?"

The hanyo crossed his arms over his chest. "You had the audacity to keep secrets from me, force a prophecy on me, and assume you're stronger than me. I think you owe me this. I need to know how strong you are."

Pondering his demand for a moment, Kagome finally nodded. "Fine." She easily hopped down from the tree and started hiking up her dress to tie it just below her knees. Inuyasha figured it was to give her more ability to move, so he didn't comment.

He dropped down in front of her and assumed a fighting stance.

Kagome eyed him up and down, obviously calculating him as an opponent.

"On your count," she said.

Inuyasha huffed and moved to attack.

Kagome easily avoided his attack and went to hit him in the chest. He blocked her but couldn't help noticing the threat of her speed.

They were evenly matched as they continued. Neither of them managed to hit the other. As the spar went on, it was obvious that they were almost completely the same in speed and agility.

Inuyasha frowned as she dodged another of his attacks.

"You're good," Kagome said as they continued. "I'm glad you're on our side."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Don't kid yourself. After we're done with this, I'm leaving."

Kagome dropped to the ground to avoid one of his attempts to overpower her.

"How about this?" she said, as she flipped herself around him. "If I manage to get you, you have to stay with us. Sound good?"

Inuyasha barked a laugh. "Whatever, woman. You won't be able to, so there's no point in trying to bargain with me."

Kagome smiled. "Wanna bet?" With a speed she hadn't shown before, she moved behind Inuyasha, grabbing his arm in the process and pulling it around behind him before moving her other hand to grip his throat lightly enough to avoid harming him but firmly enough to remind him it was really there.

Inuyasha froze in shock. _How did she…_

Kagome barely tightened her grip on his throat. "Got ya."

Shrugging her off, Inuyasha frowned. "You got lucky," he muttered.

Kagome smiled brightly. "I sure did," she agreed happily. "Looks like you're stuck with us."

Inuyasha frowned. "No. I...I'm not staying." Kagome's smile vanished.

"Inuyasha, you want revenge against Naraku. That's what my crew wants. Why can't we work together? You fit in with us perfectly and we _want_ you to stay. I'm sorry I lied, but the prophecy…"

Inuyasha whirled around to face her. "Enough with the stupid prophecy!" he shouted. "It's a load of crap! I'll stay to defeat Naraku, but I don't want you to mention that prophecy garbage to me anymore!"

The captain was silent for a moment. "Okay," she finally said. "I just...I want you to stay with us. I _need_ you to stay."

Inuyasha locked his gaze with hers. "I get why you want me to stay until we defeat Naraku," he said. "But...why are you so desperate for me to stay beyond that?"

Kagome looked away. "I meant what I said about us being similar. We're the same, Inuyasha. We have a bond in our youkai blood whether you want to accept it or not." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Keh, no we don't. You can actually pass for a human. I _can't_ if you haven't already noticed."

"You're right," Kagome agreed. "But I still understand the ridicule. It was passed down to me by my parents. My father looked like a youkai even in his human form. It was slight, but it was enough. When your skin has an unnatural green tint and your hands are webbed, people start to realize something is off. My parents loved each other, but it wasn't accepted. When I was born, people came after me and tried to kill my father _and_ me. It's why my father and I had to go on the run. They tried to kill both of us because of our heritage."

She looked at Inuyasha seriously. "That ridicule, Inuyasha, is what bonds you and me."

Inuyasha wanted to argue, but she had a point. They _could_ understand each other in ways no one else could even imagine.

It was a silent staredown between them for a few moments. He could feel the uneasiness in her Kagome's aura, and he knew she could feel his own distress in his.

"Please, Inuyasha," she begged quietly. "You're my only hope...my only hope to get the jewel back from Naraku and avenge my father. _Please_."

The sadness and fear in her eyes reflected what Inuyasha saw in his own eyes everytime he had access to a mirror or saw a reflection of himself.

When he looked at her, he no longer saw a pirate. He saw a quarter-youkai facing her own struggles and fighting for her heritage, just like he was.

It was then that he started to realize that she was right.

There _was_ a bond between them.

"Okay," he finally agreed. "I'll stay to defeat Naraku. But after that, no promises."

Relief crashed down onto Kagome's face.

"Thank you," she said, her voice raw and vulnerable.

Inuyasha nodded and looked away. "You should go back to your aunt. I'll wait here while you talk to her."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Right, Kaede. I almost forgot." She readjusted the bag on her shoulders. "I'll be back soon."

With a parting nod, Inuyasha jumped back up into the tree and watched Kagome walk away.

He sighed. _Well, that was unexpected._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome had to hold back tears as she walked back to her aunt's house. She'd gone from hell and back in what felt like minutes. When Inuyasha walked out on her, she felt a cold fear that hadn't been around for a long time. The relief in his agreement to stay was infinitesimal.

Kaede was waiting outside her house when Kagome returned. She was tending the herbs in her garden in what Kagome knew was a way to distract herself.

"Kaede," Kagome called. Her aunt looked up and frowned.

"I'm so sorry, my girl," she said. "Did Inuyasha leave?" Kagome shook her head.

"No," she replied. "I convinced him to stay...somehow."

Kaede looked relieved. "Good. I'm sorry for the hardships you seem to always have to face. I'm sorry for Inuyasha, too. At least in all this, you have each other to lean on."

Kagome shook her head. "If we ever get to that point. I don't know if he's planning on staying after we defeat Naraku."

The elder woman smiled. "Perhaps in the time that takes, things might change. You never know, my dear. I am certain that your destiny would not leave you unhappy after you succeed."

Unwilling to be more hopeful than necessary, Kagome just shrugged. "I guess we'll see. For now, we just need to get through this mission. Have you heard anything about Naraku's possible whereabouts?"

Kaede shook her head sadly. "There has been no recent talk about him in this town. I wish I could be more helpful, but I haven't heard anything."

Deflating a bit, Kagome forced a smile. "It's okay. I'm glad I got to see you."

The two women talked a while longer until Kagome figured she needed to get back to Inuyasha. Kaede gave her some herbs before she left. Kagome was grateful; they were ones that were hard to find in most ports.

"Thanks for everything," Kagome said as she hugged Kaede tightly. "I appreciate it."

Her aunt held her for a moment before letting go. "Good luck, my girl. You will do great things. You and Inuyasha both."

Daring to hope she could be right, Kagome nodded and smiled.

After leaving Kaede's house, Kagome made her way back to where she'd left Inuyasha.

To her relief, he was still perched up in the same tree. When he saw her, he hopped down and nodded.

"We going back to the ship now?" he asked.

The captain nodded. "I have to change and then we'll head back."

She walked away a bit for some privacy to change back into her pirate attire. Upon finishing, she went back to Inuyasha and beckoned for him to follow her.

The walk back to the ship was quiet. Kagome couldn't get a read on what could be going through Inuyasha's head. She was inclined to hope things would get better from there, but she just didn't know anymore.

"We'll be back just in time for lunch," Kagome said, breaking the silence.

Inuyasha hummed in reply before falling back into silence.

They didn't speak again until they reached the ship.

Once they'd gotten on board, Kagome instructed the helmsman to prepare to set sail. She noticed Inuyasha heading in the opposite direction of the galley.

"Hey," she called as she went to catch up with him. "You're not coming down for lunch?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Not hungry."

Before he could turn to walk away, Kagome stopped him.

"I'll show you tonight," she said. At Inuyasha's confusion, she looked around to make sure no one was listening. "My true form. I'll show you tonight, but it has to be late so no one will see, okay?"

Inuyasha finally nodded. "All right." He hesitated a moment. "I'll see you later...Captain."

It seemed like his anger was receding, as if he thought she would back out of showing him herself. Hopefully things would go well that night.

Soon after, she headed down to the galley for lunch.

"How did it go?" Miroku and Sango asked immediately. Kagome shrugged.

"It definitely could have gone better," she explained, "but he's still here so I guess it was successful."

"He didn't run?" Miroku asked.

Kagome grimaced. "He did at first, but I convinced him to stay. Somehow."

Her two most trusted crewmen seemed relieved. Kagome knew that they had been just as worried about the whole thing as she was.

Later that evening at dinner, Inuyasha was absent. Kagome almost wondered if he ever planned on eating again.

She spent the rest of the evening waiting until it got late enough for her to fetch Inuyasha. He wanted the truth, and she didn't plan on hiding anything else from him.

When the ship was silent and Kagome knew that the only one up on the deck would be the night helmsman, she crept to Miroku's quarters. She knew Inuyasha would be awake, so she didn't bother knocking on the door.

She flared her aura slightly to let him know she was there. Soon after, he emerged from the room and nodded at her in greeting.

She forced a smile and began leading him up to the deck. Kagome made sure that they stayed out of the night helmsman's sight. She didn't want him to know that they were up there.

Kagome led him to the bow of the ship. It was far enough that the night helmsman wouldn't be able to see them in the dark.

"Can you see well in the dark?" she whispered to Inuyasha.

"Yeah," he whispered back. "I'll be able to see you down there as long as you stay near the surface."

Kagome nodded, and with one last glance around them to confirm they were alone, she took off her hat and outer clothing until she was left in her undergarments.

She took the pin out of her hair and set it down on her clothing before shaking it out.

Glancing once more at Inuyasha, she hopped up on the edge and jumped down into the water.

O.o.O.o.O

Any lingering anger, distrust, and betrayal Inuyasha had been feeling that day disappeared as soon as Kagome jumped into the ocean.

A bright light shone from under the water and illuminated the small area into which she had dove. When the light disappeared, he saw a figure swim up to the top and emerge.

Kagome came up and brushed the wet hair off of her forehead before looking up at Inuyasha. "You ready?" she asked.

Inuyasha nodded.

The captain moved so she was floating on her back in the water and allowed her tail to rise up above the ripples.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. He'd never seen a ningyo in person. He'd heard stories and legends about them, but he'd never really known what one would look like in-person.

Kagome's tail was a dark green that shone in the moonlight. She waved her fin up so he could get a good view of it.

Beautiful.

Her skin had taken on a sea-like hue, much like the ocean itself, and it shone in the light of the moon. Her forearms had gone scaly and had small fins jutting out from them. It was strange at first, but it wasn't a _bad_ kind of strange.

Inuyasha openly gawked at her, and he knew he would feel embarrassed about it later when he was alone. At that moment, he couldn't bring himself to feel embarrassed as he watched her swim around a bit and close her eyes.

"It's been a while since I've gone for a swim," she called up. "Once you're finished looking, I'm going to head out for one."

Still stunned into silence, Inuyasha nodded.

"Uh," he stuttered. "Well, I believe you."

Kagome smiled brightly up at him. "Good. If you go look through the porthole in my quarters, I'll wave to you."

Without waiting to hear an answer, she dove under the water. Inuyasha felt frozen to the spot before he shook himself back into reality.

He found himself hurrying down to Kagome's quarters to look through her small window.

Sure enough, Kagome was swimming leisurely through the water. She flipped and moved up then down and all around the area near the boat.

Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat. There was something about seeing her in her youkai form looking distinctly _not_ human that made him realize that she was right.

They did understand what it was like to be not-quite-human but not-quite-youkai. As she continued to swim effortlessly, he felt a kinship start to stir in his soul.

If there were anyone in this world that could understand him, it would be Kagome.

Inuyasha was roused from his thoughts by the sight of Kagome swimming over. She smiled and waved to him through the porthole.

The hanyo wasn't sure what the look on his face was, but he figured it was embarrassing given her silent laugh of amusement.

Entranced, Inuyasha waved back.

After another moment of her flipping around and swimming, she caught Inuyasha's eye again and pointed upward.

_Meet me up there,_ she mouthed before swimming to the surface.

Inuyasha did as she asked and soon found himself peering down from the deck at the area into which Kagome had initially dove. She popped up soon enough and began treading water before looking to Inuyasha.

"I'm coming up now," she called up quietly. "Is there anyone nearby?"

Inuyasha looked around the empty deck before shaking his head down at her. At his confirmation, Kagome went back under the water before the same bright light started to shine again. He stared down in fascination until the light went away and Kagome emerged from the water once again.

"There should be a rope somewhere up there," Kagome instructed. "Can you toss it down to me?"

Retrieving the rope, Inuyasha did as she asked. Kagome grabbed onto the rope when it hit the water and easily pulled herself back up to the deck. She'd returned to her human form, the undergarments clinging to her wet skin.

When she got up and over the edge of the ship, she began wringing out her dripping hair.

"There you go," she said. "Any final questions?" Her tone was teasing, but Inuyasha was still too focused on her to answer.

She obviously noticed his odd mood. "What's wrong?" she asked.

It finally dawned on him. She must be a siren.

It explained everything. The way she sang the lullaby...the feelings he had...there was no way she hadn't put some sort of spell on him.

"Are you a siren?" he asked. Kagome looked caught off-guard.

"No," she replied. "That's a different kind of ningyo. Why?"

Inuyasha didn't believe her. "Then how do you explain the song and the little trick you just pulled?"

The confusion on Kagome's face seemed genuine. "You mean the youkai lullaby? I already told you that my father taught it to me." Inuyasha shook his head.

"The way you sang it," he replied. "The way it was all soothing and crap. Then how you were just all flipping around being all hypnotic and acting enchanting. You must have been using your siren magic."

As if finally understanding, Kagome smiled. "I see. Well, I'm not a siren. What you felt must have just been what _you_ felt all on your own. I don't have any controlling powers like that."

_Yikes..._

Cheeks aflame, Inuyasha turned from her. "Keh. Whatever."

Kagome laughed as she finished wringing the water from her hair. "'Enchanting,' huh? Is that how you see me?"

Growling deeply, Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "No way, woman."

Kagome laughed again but ceased her light teasing. "I'm pretty much dry now." She pinned her damp hair up and hid it under her hat before putting her outer clothing back on. "We can head back down."

Inuyasha silently followed her down below before parting ways with her to head to Miroku's quarters.

"Good night, Inuyasha," she said quietly.

Daring to look at her one last time, Inuyasha found himself blushing like an idiot.

"Night," was all he said before hightailing it away from her.

After he'd reached the quarters and gotten situated on his cot, he tried to calm the uneven beating of his heart. He'd never felt the emotions that had coursed through him when he saw Kagome. It was like when she had sang the lullaby to him in her room, but this was different.

This time, he really _saw_ Kagome.

And she was beautiful.

O.o.O.o.O

When Kagome reached her quarters after parting ways with Inuyasha, she sighed and stretched her limbs. It had been way too long since she'd taken a swim, but with the seawater still clinging to her skin and pleasantly assaulting her senses, she felt complete again.

Inuyasha's reaction to her had been rather unexpected, and she had to stifle the urge to blush. The way he gaped at her so openly instead of being disgusted by the bluish tint to her skin or her visible fins had completely caught her by surprise.

He'd looked at her in wonder and curiosity, as if she were something to be admired instead of scorned.

It was a new reaction, but it was welcome.

She pondered his reaction as she went into the head to freshen up after the swim. He'd asked if she was a siren, which she'd honestly been offended by at first. Sirens had a bad reputation, and she didn't like when common ningyo were confused for the more sinister type.

But then he'd explained why he thought she was a siren...and that had made it worth it.

_Enchanting...soothing...hypnotic…_

She couldn't stop herself from blushing at his word choice. The blush was still sprinkled on her face as she finished her nightly routine and crawled into bed.

She felt a little unsettled and a little dazed, but it didn't feel bad. It almost felt...good.

Trying to push the feelings from her mind, she thought back to Inuyasha's reaction from a purely surprised perspective. Based on his initial reaction, she could tell he was shocked, but there was a sense of understanding in his eyes. He saw her youkai form, and it felt like he was _finally_ understanding how similar they were.

Real, true, excited hope rushed through her. A cautious optimism began to run through her veins as she closed her eyes and got comfortable against her pillow.

_Things are finally starting to look up._

O.o.O.o.O

The next morning, Inuyasha made an appearance for breakfast. He attributed it to not wanting to skip another meal even though he knew there was probably another little underlying desire.

He pushed it from her mind. He definitely was _not_ there because he wanted to see Kagome. Nope.

And yet, his palms got sweaty when he saw her walk in and he had to steady his breathing. She smiled, looking a bit surprised at his presence but seeming pleased all the same.

"Good morning," she greeted. "It's nice seeing you emerge from the cave."

Blushing lightly, he just stared down into his bowl.

"You don't have to stay cooped up down there, okay?" she said. "You can go anywhere you want on the ship. You're not a hostage. You're a guest."

Inuyasha turned back to look at her, seeing the sincerity in her eyes.

"Alright," he finally conceded.

"Good morning, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha whipped his head up to see Miroku and Sango sitting across the table from himself and Kagome. He hadn't even noticed that they had entered the galley; he'd been too focused on Kagome.

_Not good,_ he chided himself. _Stop getting all...weird._ He didn't understand what he was feeling, but no one else was acting strange so he willed himself to do the same.

"We weren't sure if you noticed us when we walked in with the captain," Sango explained, "so we figured we would go ahead and make our presence known."

As if on cue, Miroku subtly smirked at him. Inuyasha knew he was most likely recalling their stupid "companionship" conversation. Inuyasha just scoffed quietly and went back to peering into his bowl.

"So now what?" Inuyasha asked instead of risking another word coming from Miroku's mouth. "We saw your aunt but we didn't find out any sort of clue about Naraku."

Kagome frowned. "She didn't know anything."

Miroku and Sango seemed to deflate. "So that means we don't have any leads," Miroku concluded.

Somberly, Kagome nodded.

Inuyasha scoffed. "So what does that mean?" he asked harshly. "We just sail around aimlessly until we come across something? That's stupid!"

Flashing him a look, Kagome frowned. "Do you think we like it? We're just as frustrated as you are, Inuyasha." She ran a hand over her face and took a deep breath.

"Naraku has a habit of attacking lone ships at sea to try and capture any youkai on board or to steal any riches," Kagome explained. "We know that, but no one ever knows where he's going to strike. That's the issue we have. He'll attack and then it's like he vanishes until he reappears to attack another ship. I've never even seen him at sea." Lowering her voice, she continued. "I haven't seen him since he killed my father."

An idea came to Inuyasha.

"You could use me as bait," he suggested. "If word gets out that you have me, possibly the last hanyo in existence, I'm sure he would come after you to get his hands on the grand prize."

Kagome's eyes widened as she thought about his proposition. "That's a good idea," she admitted. "But I'm worried about putting you at risk like that."

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha looked at her seriously. "You guys are good fighters, right?" At Kagome's nod, Inuyasha shrugged. "Then we can fight anyone off. I know how to fight and so do you all. We could most likely beat anyone that gets in our way."

He saw Miroku and Sango exchange a glance before they focused on the captain.

Kagome bit her lower lip as if in deep thought. Finally, she clicked her tongue and nodded firmly.

"Alright," she finally agreed. "Sounds like we have a plan. We just have to figure out a way to spread the message."

Inuyasha deflated. "We just left a port and we've gone really far. How quickly can we get to another town?"

Kagome smiled evilly before rising from the table. "Let's talk more in my quarters. Breakfast is over anyway."

After they'd all cleared their dishes, the small group made their way down to Kagome's quarters.

Inuyasha took Kagome's chair while Miroku, Sango, and Kagome piled onto her bed.

"Okay," Kagome began, "I can swim very fast, obviously. Based on where we are, it would be a three-day journey to another town, but I can get there in two hours if I swim."

"It's been a long time since you've done that," Miroku interjected. "Do you think you can do it?"

Kagome smiled. "It's all instinct," she replied. "I can make it."

"How are you going to spread the word when you get there?" Sango asked.

Thinking for a moment before answering Sango, Kagome began to explain her idea. "I could leave a message in a bottle near the marina and watch to make sure someone picks it up."

At Inuyasha's obvious confusion, she turned to look at him. "It's very common for bottles to wash up on shore or near a marina. It's how a lot of ships announce that they've begun to sink so merchants know if their items have been lost at sea. The message could make up some ship name saying that Captain Higurashi attacked it and made off with the great hanyo, Inuyasha."

"That's a fantastic idea," Miroku said sincerely. "That would get the job done quickly and we could definitely lure Naraku out with that."

"The only problem," Kagome began, "is that many other ships and pirates will come after us. You were right, Inuyasha, when you said that we can fight them off. It'll just take a lot of effort if they come right in a row. It could mean days of fighting and defending ourselves."

Inuyasha shrugged. "At this point, I think we've all been in situations worse than this. We can handle it."

Kagome smiled brightly at him. Confused, Inuyasha gave her a questioning look. "What are you smiling about, weirdo?"

Not breaking eye contact, Kagome kept the bright smile on her face and shook her head. "You said 'we,'" she replied simply. Inuyasha looked away.

_I'm part of a 'we' now?_ he realized silently. _Regardless of whether I want to or not, I am. For some reason, it's not as bad as I thought it would be._

"Keh, I'm here aren't I?" he replied, waving it off with a harsh tone. "Not like I can very well say 'I' anymore."

Kagome laughed lightly before turning her attention back to the matter at hand.

"I'll leave tonight," she explained. "Once the sun sets, I'll head out. I'll need to wait there until morning to make sure someone finds the bottle, so I should be back sometime tomorrow around late morning."

Concern for her safety came over Inuyasha, but he tried to shove it back down. She knew what she was doing. Inuyasha felt stupid for being worried. Aside from that, he felt weird for feeling that way for someone else.

_I really am starting to become part of a 'we,' huh?_ he thought to himself. _Yeah...it really isn't too bad, I guess._

Kagome clapped her hands in front of her excitedly. "Great! We have a plan!"

They spent the rest of the day in Kagome's quarters, only leaving for meals, trying to create a note vague enough yet informative enough to spark concern in whomever would read it. It took a while, but they managed and got it sealed in a bottle.

"We'll need to keep my absence a secret from the crew," Kagome informed them after they'd returned from dinner. She began packing a bag that looked fairly waterproof before tying it up and setting it on her bed. "We'll just have to say that I'm feeling ill tomorrow morning. It might be difficult trying to get back on the ship, though...maybe I'll just wait until around lunchtime to try and get back up on the deck."

"I can wait in your quarters and watch for you," Inuyasha offered. "When you come back, I can meet you up top and let you know if it's safe to come up."

Kagome nodded eagerly. "Good idea. That'll work out nicely. Thanks, Inuyasha."

He shrugged off her gratitude awkwardly, but she took it in stride.

That night, when it was finally time for Kagome to leave, Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha all sneakily accompanied her up to the deck and wished her a safe trip.

Sango and Miroku left soon after, and Inuyasha felt himself become nervous once he was alone with Kagome.

She smiled at him, no trace of fear on her face. "I'll see you when I come back," she said.

Inuyasha nodded, but he couldn't help the foreign sensation of concern for her.

"It'll work," she said, obviously trying to ease his mind. "Don't worry."

Inuyasha could have scoffed. He could have ridiculed her for even thinking he would be worried about her, but he didn't.

Because, try as he might, he _was_ worried for her.

And that scared him a little.

"Okay," he finally said. "Uh, good luck."

Nodding and smiling a final time, Kagome removed her outerwear, folded it up, and hid it under a spool of rope nearby. Inuyasha recognized it as the rope he'd used to help her back onboard the previous night. He figured it was far enough away from the main deck that it wouldn't be used, especially overnight and just into the morning, so it would be waiting for her upon her return.

She dove swiftly into the water, entering the ocean almost silently. Inuyasha saw the bright light that signified her transformation. He saw it begin to move away from the ship until it disappeared completely.

He stayed up there longer than he realized, staring in the direction in which Kagome had disappeared.

Finally, he returned to Miroku's quarters and lay down on his cot.

"She'll be alright," Miroku said from his bed. Inuyasha almost jumped at his voice; he'd thought Miroku was asleep.

"Yeah," was all Inuyasha said in reply.

After a long time, he finally fell asleep and was thrust into dreams assaulted by a green tail and long, messy hair.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome swam faster than she had in a long time.

Although she was a little out of practice for swimming so fast for so long, she was feeling alright. Her resolve kept her going as she sped through the water toward the nearest town.

As she swam, her thoughts drifted to the plan they'd come up with. She was nervous about using Inuyasha as bait. Everyone knew who he was, and he had been right: he was a grand prize.

Once word got out that he was with her, they would be attacked mercilessly. It set her on edge and made her a bit anxious, but she knew they would be okay in the end. They all knew how to fight.

So she focused on the water around her and the comforting sensation of sea water clinging to her body. She allowed herself to pop up out of the water and dive back in like a dolphin. A bright smile came to her face. The ocean was her happy place.

It didn't take her too long to make it to the town. When she breached silently, the dock was pitch black and eerily silent. Kagome wasn't one to scare easily, but even she had to admit that there was an ominous feeling in the air.

She glided quietly through the water until she found an empty port near the middle of the marina. Without a sound, she swam just under the surface until she reached it. She pulled the bottle from her bag and quickly put it just in front of the dock before diving back under.

It would be easy to make sure the bottle stayed in that spot. Kagome knew she would need to wait the rest of the night. Someone was bound to find the bottle if they were near the two closest ships. Now all that was left to do was wait.

Hours later, the sun began to rise and Kagome prepared herself for the presence of humans as they all rose for the day.

It didn't take long for the marina to come alive. Sailors began to depart from their ships and head into the town. Kagome willed one of them to find the bottle floating nearby, but no one did.

When she was finally about to lose hope, she saw a captain walk over to the edge of the marina. His clothes implied a high status; he was dressed in regal attire made of expensive-looking blue fabric. Bending down, he examined the bottle for a moment before picking it up and opening it.

His eyes widened as he read, and Kagome grinned. _Looks like it's working!_

"Men!" he soon shouted to his crew. "Hurry and prepare yourselves. We're setting sail this afternoon. We have a new objective."

The captain soon returned to his ship with the bottle in his hands.

Relieved, Kagome spared a final glance at the dock. There was no doubt that word would spread quickly among the humans. They didn't quite grasp the idea of speaking quietly, especially pirates. It seems like all they did was shout.

Right when Kagome was about to disappear back into the depths of the ocean, she felt something prickle at the edge of her senses. _A youkai aura?_

Frowning, she sank back under the water and swam in the direction of the aura.

There was a large ship docked at the other end of the marina. Kagome suppressed her aura so it was untraceable as she approached.

Her eyes widened when she reached it. There wasn't one youkai aura.

There were two.

_The auras feel almost identical,_ she mused. _It's like they're the same youkai._

As she got closer, she began to feel several more youkai auras. They seemed considerably weaker than the first two, but they were definitely still youkai.

Tampering down her uneasiness, Kagome waited by the ship to see if she could catch sight of any of the crew. As the marina became busier, Kagome saw a woman exit the ship. She wore a traditional layered kimono, with the outermost one being a red and off-white striped pattern. Her black hair was pinned up on the top of her head with a small feather sticking out. Kagome could feel irritation radiating off of her as she practically stomped off the ship.

_She's a youkai,_ Kagome decided. _And based on her aura, she's a strong one._ She looked like an ordinary human; Kagome figured that was how she was able to walk freely through the marina.

The woman obviously didn't notice Kagome as she walked right past her toward the middle of the marina. The marina turned into a path toward the town.

When she was halfway down, the woman froze and glanced at a nearby ship. After a moment, she turned around and walked straight back to her own.

Kagome figured it wasn't a coincidence that it was the same ship that had picked up her bottle.

The woman was obviously youkai, so Kagome figured she must have heard something from the ship.

Sure enough, when the woman returned to the ship, Kagome heard her call up to someone.

"Kanna!" she shouted when she was back up on deck.

Kagome dared to peek out of the water to hear the impending conversation.

Although she couldn't see, she felt a near identical aura join the woman on deck. Kagome wished she could see better, but she instead tried to focus on listening.

"Apparently Higurashi has captured the hanyo," the woman said. "I just heard an obnoxious captain announcing it to his crew." She laughed evilly. "Humans are such idiots."

"What will we do?" the other youkai asked in a gentle, monotone voice. "Shall we report back or continue on our own?"

The woman sighed heavily. "We have to report back. You know the boss will have our heads if we do something without letting him know. I guess we need to go to the meeting place now instead of later."

With that, the two women ceased their conversation to simply discuss the supplies they needed before setting sail again.

"I'll go into town," the woman said. "I figured our supply list would change now that we know the hanyo has been captured. It's a little harder to kill a hanyo without proper knives and weapons."

Soon after, the woman departed from the ship again. Kagome quickly dove back into the water to avoid being seen.

The woman paused at the sound of the splash and looked into the waves.

Red eyes scanned the water for a moment until the woman finally continued walking.

Kagome dove deeper to try and figure out what had just happened.

_Why would youkai be hunting another youkai?_ she wondered desperately. _And why would they be planning to kill it? Especially Inuyasha...he's a rare kind!_

Kagome glanced up at the ship through the water once more to try and commit it to memory. If they managed to find Kagome's crew, she wanted to be prepared if they approached. Recognizing what the ship looked like would be helpful.

The figurehead on the front of the ship was her best bet for recognition. To Kagome's surprise, the figurehead wasn't of an ocean theme. Upon closer inspection, Kagome recognized the figurehead as distinctly non-oceanic.

It was a spider.

It was rather small, only going about a quarter of the way down, but it was still very obviously a wicked-looking spider.

Committing it to memory, Kagome began swimming away from the marina. It was a bit later than she'd been expecting to leave, but it couldn't be helped.

Anxiety began to ripple through her as she swam away, so she instead tried to focus on the calming sensation of the water on her skin.

_This doesn't make any sense,_ she thought as she pushed herself to swim faster. _Youkai don't hunt other youkai. Why is this happening?_

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha felt a little weird being alone in Kagome's quarters. It wasn't the first time, but now it just felt strange to be surrounded by her scent and her things without her physically being anywhere on the ship.

He had plopped down in Kagome's chair soon after breakfast. He knew she wouldn't come knocking until around noon, but it got him out of having to engage in idle chatter with Miroku and Sango. It was easier to just go down after the morning meal was over.

Boredom had overtaken him, so he looked around Kagome's room closer than he had in the past. He knew her cello was under the bed and that maps were strewn on her desk.

There were other little things he hadn't noticed before. She had small trinkets all over the place. There were dried seaweed hanging up on her walls, shells piled up in each corner of the room, and even a few assorted teeth. Inuyasha identified them as shark teeth.

_This must be stuff Kagome finds when she swims,_ Inuyasha concluded. _It suits her._

The nautical theme of the room was subtle, but now that Inuyasha knew about Kagome, it radiated a mermaid's love for the sea.

Later into the afternoon, Inuyasha was beginning to get concerned. Miroku and Sango had been instructed to go about their daily activities so as not to bring attention to Kagome's absence, so they didn't know how late Kagome was in returning.

Finally, after what felt like centuries, Inuyasha heard a knock on Kagome's porthole.

Inuyasha jumped up to find her smiling at him. She waved before pointing upward. Inuyasha nodded and hurried up to the deck to help her out.

Lunch would be ending soon, so Inuyasha knew they didn't have much time. He hurried to toss the rope down to the water. The bright light came and went as Kagome quickly transformed and began to climb up the rope.

Inuyasha retrieved her clothing for her as she hopped onto the ship.

"Hey," she greeted as she began wringing out her hair. "Everything alright here?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Did things go well?"

Hesitating, Kagome half-shrugged. "Yeah. I got some new information that I need to share with you all as soon as possible."

She tossed her hair up and covered it with her hat before shrugging on the rest of her clothes. When she was dressed, she and Inuyasha hurried down to her quarters.

"I'll go get Miroku and Sango," Inuyasha offered. Kagome nodded as she grabbed new clothes and went into the head.

Miroku and Sango were cleaning up their dishes when Inuyasha entered the galley. Miroku and Sango knew that his appearance signified Kagome's return, so they quickly went about finishing their tasks.

"Is there any extra food?" Inuyasha asked. "Captain might be hungry."

Miroku retrieved an extra bowl of the lunch meal before following Miroku and Sango to Kagome's quarters.

When they arrived, Kagome had changed into fresh clothing and was combing out her hair on her bed.

"Welcome back, Kagome," Sango greeted after they'd entered the quarters and closed the door.

"Glad to see you made it back safely," Miroku said as he handed Kagome the bowl of food.

"Thank you," she replied gratefully as she accepted the meal.

"Inuyasha suggested we bring it," Miroku added quickly before speaking again. "How did the trip go?" Inuyasha nearly pummeled him.

Kagome bypassed the comment and motioned to her chair and bed. "Come sit down and then we'll talk." Once Inuyasha had taken the chair, Miroku and Sango piled onto Kagome's bed with her.

After everyone had gotten settled, the captain began to explain her trip in detail, but her unease was unmistakable as she spoke.

Inuyasha was confused at her edgy demeanor; it seemed like the mission was successful. A captain had found the bottle and would be trying to find them.

But then Kagome mentioned what had transpired between the two youkai.

" _What?_ " Inuyasha asked in horror. "That's impossible! Youkai don't hunt each other down. We don't kill each other, either!"

Kagome huffed. "Okay, but that's what I heard them say. They were definitely youkai."

"Were there other youkai onboard?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome nodded.

"Yes," she confirmed. "The whole crew was youkai. They didn't seem very strong aside from the two I heard talking. Their auras were strange, but they still felt very powerful."

Inuyasha's head was spinning. It was absolutely unheard of for youkai to try and harm each other. The community was so small...it was completely against all laws.

"What should we do now?" Sango asked. "Should we try and seek them out? Did you hear who their captain was?"

"No," Kagome replied. "I just know that he wasn't with them. One of the youkai said they needed to go regroup with him before doing anything else." She looked up to Inuyasha. "They've made finding you their priority."

Inuyasha nodded, but was still disturbed by the new knowledge. "That was the plan. Looks like it's already working."

"So now we wait?" Miroku asked.

Kagome nodded. "That's all we really can do."

"What did the ship look like?" Sango asked.

Kagome grimaced. "It had a spider on the front."

Miroku seemed confused. "A spider being used as a figurehead on a ship? That's not something you hear everyday."

The group fell into silence while Inuyasha fell into his thoughts.

_Youkai hunting other youkai,_ he pondered. _I wonder if Sesshomaru knows about this._

Closing his eyes and dreading what he was about to say, Inuyasha spoke again.

"We should go see my brother," he said. "We need to let him know about this." As much as he hated having to go to his brother, Inuyasha knew that it was his duty to report the situation to Sesshomaru.

"Do you think he can help?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I need to tell him about this. He's the daiyoukai so I'm required by our laws to inform him of this."

Kagome didn't answer for a moment. "We would have to wait behind," she finally said. "If he recognizes me like you did, my whole crew could be risking death."

Seeing her point, Inuyasha tried to think around it. "If you suppress your aura and wear your disguise, he might not. He'll just assume you're a normal human woman. It'll at least get us into the castle and give me a chance to explain everything to him."

Frowning, Kagome didn't seem pleased with it. "Will he announce to other youkai that my reputation is fake? Or will he keep the secret?"

_That's a fair question,_ Inuyasha thought. _I don't know how to answer._

"I don't know," he admitted. "But...I think it's our best bet."

Glancing at Miroku and Sango, Kagome silently asked for their opinions.

"I think we should do what Inuyasha says," Miroku finally said. "What if his brother already knows about it? We would either be informing him of something important or learning more about it. I think it's the best course of action." Sango nodded her agreement.

With a heavy sigh, Kagome finally conceded. "Okay. Where does he live?"

"His castle is hidden behind a powerful barrier," Inuyasha explained. "Only youkai can enter. Humans would just walk right through it. It's located in the northern part of Japan in a large forest."

Kagome stood up and retrieved a map. She assessed it for a moment before pointing to a spot southwest of where Sesshomaru's castle was located. Even on the map it looked far.

"We're here," she said. "Where is the castle on this map?" Inuyasha pointed it to it. Eyes on the map, Kagome seemed to be calculating the distance.

"That's about two weeks north of us," she explained. "If we change course tonight, we'll be there in roughly thirteen or fourteen days." She looked at Inuyasha seriously. "Are you sure about this?"

Resolve set, Inuyasha nodded firmly. "Yes."

Kagome took a deep breath. "Then I guess we have our plan."

The group parted ways soon after so Kagome could inform the helmsman about their change in plans.

Inuyasha himself went up to the top deck until he was at the edge of the bow. He hadn't seen Sesshomaru in about two years, so he was a bit uneasy to go to his castle. His vassal, Jaken, was also one of the most annoying youkai Inuyasha had ever met. It was impossible to not step on him every time he even opened his mouth. Inuyasha was just dreading the visit all around.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and tried to focus on the cool breeze on his face. He had two weeks to brace himself for the interaction, so he tried to just put it out of his mind for now.

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyo turned around to see Kagome making her way over to him. She had her usual smile on her face, but Inuyasha could see the same underlying unease in her eyes.

"Hey," Inuyasha greeted quietly before turning his attention back on the water.

"Thanks for the suggestion about your brother," she said. "I think it'll yield some good results."

Inuyasha scoffed. "I hope so. Seeing Sesshomaru better be worth something."

Kagome set her hands on the edge of the ship. "Do you two not get along?"

Avoiding her gaze, Inuyasha shrugged. "I already told you that he doesn't want much to do with me," he replied. "I haven't seen him in a long time. When I do see him, we usually fight, so I guess you could say we don't get along."

"I wish I could say something to help," Kagome said. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Ain't a big deal," he replied. "No need to try and help."

The captain looked out into the water. "Maybe you two could talk while we're there. It might help."

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed. "Doubt it."

Kagome smiled. "You could always try."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. _She's always so cheerful...too cheerful, if you ask me._

As she looked back at the water, Inuyasha allowed his gaze to linger on her for a moment.

_Maybe it's not so bad, though,_ he decided. _Being with Kagome has started to feel...natural, I guess. Two not-quite-youkai, not-quite-humans traveling together in a messed-up world. It only seems fitting._

"It'll be nice to meet the daiyoukai," Kagome remarked. "I've only heard of him. I don't really consider myself a part of the youkai community. I don't think I'm really enough of a youkai."

Inuyasha looked back at the water. "Well, you've got youkai blood, don't ya? That means you are."

He heard her laugh quietly beside him. "I guess you're right. Maybe it'll be nice. I've been around humans for so long, it'll be a good change of pace to interact with that other part of me. You being here has definitely helped in that regard."

When Inuyasha looked up at her, he found her eyes already on him. He felt that bond tug on his soul again. It was soothing...just like Kagome.

"So," he said, breaking the silence as he turned back to look out into the sea. "Guess it's about time I take a turn mopping, huh? Might as well start pulling my weight around here."

It was insignificant, but he knew Kagome would recognize what he was saying. He didn't have to look at her to know she was smiling.

He felt a small hand set on his shoulder. At her touch, Inuyasha's head whipped to the side to see Kagome standing closer to him.

"We'll defeat Naraku," she resolved quietly. "I believe that wholeheartedly."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Because of the dumb prophecy, right?"

Kagome shook her head, her gaze remaining serious. "No. _Hope_."

She gave his shoulder a parting squeeze before hopping off the top deck and leaving him by himself.

_Hope,_ he thought to himself. _I think she's right._

To be continued…


	5. Pieces of the Puzzle

**Chapter 5: Pieces of the Puzzle**

Inuyasha knew it meant a lot to Kagome, but he _hated_ mopping.

It sure beat other stuff he'd had to face, but it still sucked.

He did it anyway, though, because try as he might, he was starting to like being on the ship and he felt like it really was about time to start pulling his own weight.

He'd already decided to stop hiding out in Miroku's quarters all day. He'd been somewhat able to stand the quiet and stagnant time he spent there, but it had finally become too much. He needed to move. He needed to breathe. For a pirate, Miroku's scent was decent, but it was nothing compared to fresh air.

Instead of Miroku's quarters, he started to spend more time up on deck. It wasn't uncommon for him to be up near the spot where Kagome had shown him her tail. It reminded him of that night, and that warmed him in ways he didn't quite understand.

Three days after the night they'd set sail for Sesshomaru's castle, Inuyasha was in his usual spot up on the top deck. He dared to sit on the edge with his legs dangling over the side above the water. Occasionally, a wave would crash against the ship and breezes filled with an ocean mist would chill his bare feet. Sometimes he would gaze out and admire the water. Other times, he kept his eyes closed and let his senses fill with the essence of the sea.

 _This is nice,_ he mused silently. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to live on a ship._ Immediately realizing what he'd thought, he tried to backtrack in his mind. _Of course, not just_ this _ship specifically._

He closed his eyes and titled his head up toward the sky and allowed the sun to warm his face. In an attempt to distract himself from his thoughts, he focused on the feel of his surroundings. He felt the barest hint of a sunburn on his nose, but it wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it was nice to feel the results of something so warm.

"Hi, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha just about fell off the side of the ship. _How does she always manage to sneak up on me?_

He opened his eyes and steadied himself.

"Sorry!" she apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to startle you." Inuyasha resumed his previous sitting position as she walked over to him. Kicking off her own shoes, she swung up onto the edge of the ship to join him.

She took a deep breath before breathing it out in a content sigh. "This is one of the best spots on the ship. So open. Getting to see what might be beyond, yeah?"

"It's nice," he agreed. "Smells good, too."

Leaning her head back while being mindful of her hat, Kagome closed her eyes. "Sometimes I think it would be nice to just live on a ship for the heck of it. No pirate stuff, no mission stuff, just a pure sailor's life." She sighed. "Maybe someday."

They were quiet for a few moments, the sounds of the ocean being the only noise around them.

"So you would want to keep sailing?" Inuyasha asked. "Even after Naraku is gone and the jewel is destroyed?"

Kagome smiled. "Of course. If this isn't home by now, I don't know what is."

Inuyasha found himself smiling back at her.

"Thanks for mopping by the way," Kagome finally said. "Having extra hands is always helpful."

"Sure," Inuyasha replied. "No big deal."

They fell into silence again until Kagome inevitably broke it, per usual.

"So I have a question," she began, "but if it's too personal, I understand and I'll just leave it alone."

Perplexed, Inuyasha frowned. "Alright, what is it?"

As if trying to organize her thoughts, Kagome took a deep breath.

"Well," she finally said, "my father was a hanyo, too, which you already know. There was one night every month that he would lose his power and be rendered a human. Does, um, that happen to you?"

Inuyasha froze. _I was hoping to avoid having to tell anyone about that,_ he grumbled internally. _But it makes sense she would know about it and have the guts to ask._

"Yeah," he replied. Kagome nodded.

"Okay," she said. "I want to make sure you're comfortable during that time. My father always complained about it and said it made him feel...ah, what would he say? _Dulled_."

Inuyasha found himself nodding. "That about sums it up. Do you not have a human night?"

Kagome shook her head. "I always look like a human, so not really. I mean, on nights with a half-moon, I can't shift into my ningyo form, but that's it. I guess because there's more human in me than youkai."

Inuyasha nodded his agreement. "No one knows when my night is," he said. "Not even my brother. My parents knew, but that was obvious." He saw Kagome glance at him.

"Keep your secrets," she said kindly. "I don't want you to feel like you have to explain anything. My father told me that it's improper to ask a hanyo when their night is, but I figure since we're in such close quarters, at least knowing that you definitely had a night might be helpful."

To Inuyasha's surprise, he trusted Kagome. He _wanted_ to tell her. Youkai-to-youkai.

"The night of the new moon," he blurted. "That's my human night."

Kagome was very obviously caught off-guard by his candor. "You didn't have to tell me, Inuyasha," she countered. "I'll respect your secrets." Inuyasha shrugged.

"You showed me your youkai secret," he replied casually. "Might as well give you one of mine." _If someone told me two weeks ago that I would be having this conversation with Captain Higurashi, I would have laughed in their face._

But everything had changed since he'd come onto this ship. He felt comfortable telling her. In all honesty, he _did_ trust Kagome.

"At least the new moon fell a couple days before you joined us," Kagome remarked, bringing Inuyasha out of his thoughts. "You don't have to worry about it on the ship for a few more weeks."

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

 _What do I hate more?_ he asked himself. _Sesshomaru or my human night?_ He sighed. Definitely the human night. At least he could fight Sesshomaru. The moon, not so much.

He thought back to Kagome's cheerful, optimistic attitude toward just about everything. He'd seen sorrow from her, of course, but it was always as if she refused to focus on the negative. Inuyasha didn't understand how. If he were Kagome, he would be exhausted.

"You know," he began, feeling comfortable enough to open up just a _little_ more, "I've never spent this much time with another youkai."

Kagome seemed surprised. "Really? You didn't have youkai friends growing up?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I'm around four-hundred years old. Back when I was born, the youkai community was much bigger and actually had the luxury of being able to shun hanyo. Now, not so much, but back then it was a big thing. The fact that my dad died before I was born made the prejudice even worse because I was being raised by a human mother."

He sighed. "I was too youkai for humans, but too human for youkai. It never really panned out, so it was just me and my mother." Inuyasha avoided looking at Kagome as he spoke, but he could feel the empathetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry," she said. "That must have been hard."

He glanced at her. "Did you have youkai friends? I'm sure you had human friends based on your looks."

Kagome half-shrugged. "I had one cousin on my dad's side that was killed by a pirate around twenty years ago...the pirate caught her swimming near the shoreline. That was it. My dad and I were on the run too much to settle down enough for me to make friends."

Inuyasha looked away again. "Sucks," he said flatly, knowing their pain was shared in more ways than one.

Kagome caught his eye. "Well, it doesn't suck so much anymore," she chirped hopefully. "Now we don't have to worry about not having any youkai friends, yeah?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. It was as if all she ever did was catch him off-guard.

"Yeah," he agreed awkwardly. "Um, friends."

Kagome laughed. "Miroku and Sango are next," she continued. "You'll get to know them better in time."

The hanyo rolled his eyes. "I already know more about Miroku than I'd like. It seems like all he ever does is talk about Sango's butt."

Kagome grinned. "Sounds about right," she agreed. "He's been in love with her forever. She knows, but she isn't going to cave and admit how she feels until he stops flirting with every woman he sees in every town we visit."

Scoffing lightly, Inuyasha rolled his eyes again. "Doesn't seem like he ever will. If he's not talking about Sango's butt, it's some other wench in a random town you guys went to five years ago. It's ridiculous."

Kagome laughed lightly before shaking her head. "He's a character," she said goodnaturedly, "and the closest thing I've got to a brother. Sometimes he just needs a good whack to the head."

She looked back out to the water. "Speaking of brothers, we're about eleven days away from yours."

Bristling, Inuyasha felt his mood start to plummet. "Don't remind me," he grumbled. "He's such a-"

"Captain Higurashi!"

The captain and the hanyo both turned in the direction of the shout. They saw the helmsman with a concerned look on his face from across the ship. At the sight of his upset, they rushed to join him at the wheel.

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked urgently once they'd reached him.

The helmsman nodded off toward the horizon to the side. "Approaching ship coming from the west."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked in the opposite direction of where he and Kagome had been sitting. _Another ship? Pirates? Royals? Who?_

The captain hurried to the edge of the ship and peered out at the far horizon. She announced that it was heading in their direction before starting to dish out instructions.

"We don't know what kind of ship it is," she explained seriously. "We need to be prepared for an attack. As we get further north, we'll start to see more pirate activity. I didn't think it would be this soon, but apparently I was wrong." She motioned to the sword on his hip. "Is that the sword you usually fight with?"

Inuyasha hesitated. "It's more of a...family heirloom. It's not a good fighting sword."

Taking it in stride, Kagome nodded. "Ask Miroku if you can borrow one of his just in case."

Inuyasha nodded, a frown settling on his face. "How likely is it that the ship will come for us?" Kagome grimaced.

"We never really know," she replied. "We can't be certain until they start heading in a different direction rather than right toward us like this one. If I had to bet on it, I'd say they're heading this way. I need to go alert the rest of the crew down below. Inuyasha, can you go get Miroku and Sango please? Bring them back up here so we can make a game plan with the rest of the crew. Don't forget to ask Miroku for a sword."

Before parting ways, she briefly set a hand on her helmsman's shoulder. "Good eye," she said before departing.

Inuyasha followed suit, immediately going down to Miroku's quarters. He found him seated on his bed with a book in hand.

"Hello, my good man," he greeted when Inuyasha entered the room. "How is-"

"There's a ship approaching," Inuyasha interrupted. "The captain said to reconvene up on deck. Can I borrow a sword?"

Miroku immediately went serious and tossed the book on his bed before rising to gather up his sword and scabbard. After he grabbed a second sword for Inuyasha, he went straight for the door, motioning for the hanyo to follow him.

"Sango is probably in her quarters," Miroku said as he made his way to the far end of the corridor. He rapped on one of the closed doors.

Sango groaned loudly at the knock. "Miroku, I swear if you're coming here to bug me about 'bearing your child again-'"

Sango's shouting was cut off when she opened the door and saw Miroku and Inuyasha's serious demeanors.

"What happened?" she asked, effectively interrupting herself. "Is the captain okay?"

"A ship is approaching," Miroku informed her. "Headed straight this way. The captain wants us on deck."

At the sight of even Sango concerned about the whole thing, Inuyasha himself became even more concerned.

He was almost...frightened. If they were other pirates, they were likely after him.

"Miroku," he said as they made their way up to the deck after Sango had grabbed her sword. "Do you think they're pirates coming because of the note the captain left?"

Miroku shook his head. "No," he confirmed. "Word doesn't spread that quickly. We're coming up on an area with a larger pirate population, so it's most likely for that reason."

Somehow, they didn't make Inuyasha feel any better.

When they reached the top deck, they found Kagome already there with several members of the crew. She was armed with her bow and a quiver full of arrows strapped across her back and a sword saddled on her hip.

At the sight of Miroku and Sango, she frowned. "They're definitely headed this way," she announced. "Which means we need to prepare."

"Why would they attack?" Inuyasha asked. "Do all pirates steal from each other?"

Kagome sighed. "Not originally. Ever since the youkai hunting began, it's all been fair game. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if that ship had youkai captives on it."  
Inuyasha's eyes widened. _Other youkai?_

"Would we help them?" he asked suddenly. "If there are youkai captives, will we save them?"

Kagome, despite the anxiety in her eyes, smiled. "Of course," she replied. "In the few times we've come across that situation, we've helped them escape, so that's what we'll do this time if it comes to that."

Inuyasha nodded, at least placated by that for now.

"They're probably thirty minutes away from us at this point," Kagome said, growing serious again. "We need to prepare weapons and be ready for a fight in case it winds up being a pirate ship."

"How do you know if that's what it is?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome turned her attention to him. "There's usually a flag," she explained. "We don't fly one to remain more inconspicuous, but other pirates usually do. That's how we'll know."

 _This is definitely not how I expected this day to go,_ he concluded silently. _But then again, does anything ever happen the way I expect nowadays?_

Once they were prepped for a potential confrontation, the ship had come close enough that Inuyasha could start to make out people staring them down from the deck.

"They're pirates," Kagome affirmed. "The flag doesn't lie, and they're not dressed like normal sailors." She quickly turned to Inuyasha. "You need to go hide. Go to my quarters, lock the door, put yourself in the head, and lock that door as well. If it's not me telling you to come out, do _not_ come out." She pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket before tying it around her face, effectively hiding everything but her piercing blue eyes.

Inuyasha frowned. "I can fight, too," he insisted. "I'm not gonna go hide like a child."

Kagome glared at him. "Get down there," she practically growled. "I'm not going to lose you when we just found you."

Despite the fact that he knew she didn't mean it as significant, Inuyasha focused on her words.

_I'm not going to lose you…_

"Inuyasha!" she shouted. " _Go!_ " Shaking himself from his mildly embarrassing thoughts, he finally conceded with a nod. He spared her a final glance before heading down to her quarters. Instead of locking himself in the head, he cracked her door and kept an ear out for any signs of an attack.

It was silent for a while before he started hearing commotion.

He heard some untilligable shouts from what he assumed were the passengers of the other ship before Kagome hollered a reply.

"We're not looking for a fight," she heard her call in her usual thrown voice. She sounded like a harsh male, not the small spitfire of a woman he'd come to know. "Just keep moving."

Apparently the ship didn't keep moving, for Inuyasha soon heard the sound of something hitting the side of their ship. He silently wished he knew enough about ships to be able to recognize the noise.

"Well, well, well," he heard an unfamiliar male voice shout. "Captain Higurashi. Who would've guessed we'd run into you out here."

"It's pirate territory, Captain Bankotsu," she replied flatly. "What else would you expect?"

The man, apparently Captain Bankotsu, barked a laugh. "No matter. We're still going to give your ship a little inspection. Have to check for any youkai we can steal, of course."

Kagome growled. "When has that ever worked in your favor before?" she asked. "We always manage to fight you off. Besides, I thought you and your other cronies had been murdered. Were the rumors wrong, or what?"

Captain Bankotsu gave that laugh again. "Oh, Higurashi," he taunted. "If only you knew."

Inuyasha heard the pounding of footsteps assault the deck.

"You might as well just hand any youkai over now," Captain Bankotsu said. "Maybe I won't kill you. How do broken legs sound instead? Maybe I'll even toss in a severed arm as a parting gift."

That's when he heard the first punch being thrown. Everything went silent, and he prayed to every kami that Kagome was the one to deal the first blow.

Debating on whether or not to follow her directions about hiding himself, he finally crept out of her quarters and silently moved toward the stairs leading up to the deck.

Being certain to keep his head down, he kept his ears flat against his hair as he peeked up to get a look at what was happening.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting to see, but it wasn't Kagome rubbing her jaw before spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"So that's how you wanna play?" she asked as she drew her sword. "Alright, let's play."

Inuyasha looked at the so-called Captain Bankotsu, his golden eyes widening as soon as he set his sights on him.

The other captain looked rather young, maybe a little younger than Miroku and Sango. A long, black braid swished behind him as he moved to draw the massive weapon strapped across his back.

Captain Bankotsu stood at least a full foot-and-a-half taller than Kagome, and his huge halberd dwarfed the average-sized kitana she drew from her hip.

Kagome managed to block the first blow, ducking to the side and meeting her blade with his.

"Men, attack!" Captain Bankotsu ordered as he swung at Kagome again.

Then all hell broke loose.

Fighting raged on the deck as Captain Bankotsu's crew attacked Kagome's.

To their credit, Kagome's middle-aged crew excelled in fighting off the other captain's men. Kagome herself was boding well against the other captain. They seemed pretty evenly matched, although the odds were obviously in his favor. Inuyasha knew Kagome's youkai reflexes and strength were what would save her in that fight.

Inuyasha glanced over at the small part of the other ship he could see.

If Kagome was right and there really were other youkai on board, maybe Inuyasha could take advantage of the distraction and go check for himself. If there was even a slight chance he could save another youkai, he _had_ to try.

He snuck another peek back up on the deck. The two crews were still engaged in battle, so Inuyasha hurried up the stairs and inconspicuously crossed the deck before jumping down into the water.

He dove down and swam to the other side of the opposing ship. When he surfaced, he could still hear the fight from Kagome's ship, but his view was now blocked by Captain Bankotsu's own ship.

He carefully climbed up the side of the ship, not even wincing as he felt a few splinters pierce his skin.

Once he'd hauled himself up, he did a quick scan of the deck and saw it was empty. They must all be engaged in battle with Kagome and her crew.

 _I gotta hurry up,_ he chided himself. _Maybe I'll find a strong youkai and they can help us beat Captain Bankotsu._

Inuyasha scrambled up over the edge of the ship and flared his yoki, searching for another youkai aura to brush against his.

Suddenly, he felt a weak flare coming from down below the deck. He raced toward the aura, keeping alert in case any men were guarding the captive, which he knew there most certainly were.

He rounded a corner down below and, sure enough, came face to face with two guards.

Both of their eyes widened when they took in the sight of the hanyo.

"Hey!" shouted one of them. "We know you! You're-"

"Knocking you out." Inuyasha caught them off-guard with twin jabs to the neck. They both collapsed immediately as Inuyasha hit them on spot that would keep them out cold for at least ten minutes.

He shoved the limp men out of the way so he could open the door. It was dark, even for him, so he resorted to flaring his aura again.

"Oi," he called into the darkness. "Anyone in here? I'm a friend."

He heard a weak cough coming from what he assumed was the other side of the room; it sounded far enough away to make a safe assumption.

"I'll help you," Inuyasha said. "You can feel my aura, can't you? I'm a youkai, too."

"Here," a weak, timid voice said. "I'm chained to the wall."

Inuyasha hurried in the direction of the voice. When he sensed that he was getting closer to the youkai, he stopped.

"Move the chains so I can hear where they are," he instructed. The youkai did what he asked, and Inuyasha soon found the source of the noise. He yanked on the metal and broke it apart, effectively releasing the youkai from the bindings.

An audible sigh of relief echoed in the air when the youkai was finally free.

"Thank you," the youkai said. "Did Bankotsu capture you, too?"

"I'll explain later," Inuyasha said. "Let's get out of the dark first. Follow my aura."

Inuyasha led the youkai out of the room and into the small corridor in which the unconscious guards still lay.

When Inuyasha turned around to inspect the youkai he'd just saved, his eyes widened in surprise.

His gaze immediately lowered to a small, orange kitsune with a mess of hair on top of his head, bright green eyes, and little fox feet.

"Well, you're a surprise," Inuyasha said. "You're a tiny little thing, huh? Must be why you didn't break the chains yourself."

The little kitsune glared up at him. "You're mean, but I won't use any kitsune magic on you because you just saved me," he said. Inuyasha could tell he was trying to sound menacing, but the little youkai just sounded exhausted.

 _Poor kid,_ Inuyasha said as he examined him for any injuries. _No scent of blood, but his fear is obvious. I need to get him off this ship._

"Come on," Inuyasha said urgently. "We need to leave. Can you walk alright?"

The kitsune wobbled on his skinny legs. "Not really. I've been sitting for days with those chains on. My legs hurt."

Taking it in stride, Inuyasha nodded and picked the kitsune up to settle him on his shoulder.

"What's your name, kid?" Inuyasha asked as he carefully hurried back to the deck.

"Shippo," the kitsune replied from his shoulder.

"Well, Shippo," Inuyasha began, "my name is Inuyasha."

Shippo's eyes widened. "Inuyasha? _The_ Inuyasha? What are you doing here?"

Inuyasha waved his question off. "Have I got a story for you. I'll explain later."

After making sure the deck was still clear of Captain Bankotsu's crew, Inuyasha looked across the water to Kagome's ship.

His eyes widened as he saw her pinned to the ground by one of the opposing captain's crewmen, her handkerchief being roughly pressed to her face as if in a suffocation attempt.

 _Kagome!_ Inuyasha screamed internally.

"I hope you're not scared of water, kid," he told Shippo. Before waiting for a response, Inuyasha dove into the water and swam to the other ship.

He saw Captain Bankotsu run across the plank connecting his ship to Kagome's as he returned to his own deck.

Making sure Shippo was still holding on tightly, Inuyasha swam to the front of Kagome's ship and away from the middle of the two ships to remain out of sight.

"Men!" Captain Bankotsu yelled across the water. "Fall back!"

His crewmen immediately began to run across the plank and back onto their ship.

 _Is Kagome dead?_ he wondered. _Why are they leaving so suddenly?_ Panic overcame him as the thought crossed his mind.

To his immense relief, Inuyasha saw Kagome nearly throw herself off the edge of her ship.

"You think you could kill me that easily?" she bellowed, sounding more offended than scared. "Now you're running from a fight? You cowards!"

Captain Bankotsu laughed as his helmsman prepared for them to set sail again.

"This isn't over, Higurashi," he called back. "We shall cross paths again in the near future."

With that, his ship caught the breeze and began to sail away.

Kagome growled in frustration.

Inuyasha heard Shippo gasp quietly next to him.

"Is that Captain Higurashi?" the kitsune asked. Inuyasha nodded.

"Yeah, but it's alright," he assured him. "It's safe here. It's the ship I came from when I found you."

Shippo frowned, obviously hesitant, but didn't continue. Inuyasha began to scale the side of the ship when he heard a new commotion start to come from the deck.

"Inuyasha's gone," he heard Miroku say urgently. "Bankotsu or one of his men must have gotten him when we were busy fighting."

" _What?_ " Kagome shouted. A string of profanity fell from her lips. Inuyasha could hear the panic in her voice; he didn't need to see her face to know she was freaking out.

The hanyo tried to climb the rest of the way up the ship before Kagome worried herself into oblivion.

" _No!_ " she screamed. "This can't be happening! We've looked for so long and it seemed like he was just starting to get comfortable here and-"

"Oi!" Inuyasha shouted as he hopped up over the edge and landed on the deck. "Quit your blubbering. I'm right here."

Kagome's head whipped up to him, and Inuyasha was surprised to see tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

_Is she...crying? For me?_

Before he could say anything more, Kagome charged at him and looked like she was about to strike.

"I specifically told you to wait below, idiot!" she shouted as she whipped her handkerchief off her face. "Why can't you follow a _simple_ direction instead of scaring me-"

Her voice faltered when she caught sight of the small kitsune now hiding under Inuyasha's mane of hair.

"What's that?" she asked, her anger at Inuyasha temporarily forgotten.

Inuyasha pulled Shippo out from his hair so Kagome could get a good look at him.

"I went to check for other youkai while you were fighting," Inuyasha replied simply. "His name is Shippo. Captain Bankotsu had him chained up."

Shippo was shaking like a leaf as Kagome stared him down. Finally, she started to smile.

"Hi, Shippo," she said kindly. "Sorry for getting angry...Inuyasha gave me a scare so I was a little upset. My name is Captain Higurashi."

Shippo shied away from her. "I...I kn-know who you are," he stuttered. "Y-you hunt yo-youkai."

Kagome's smile faltered for a moment. "Would you believe me if I said that's a lie? That me and my crew don't really hunt youkai?"

Shippo hunkered up against Inuyasha's neck. The hanyo felt him slowly shake his head at Kagome's question.

"Oi," Inuyasha said as he gently tweaked the kitsune's nose. "Higurashi is telling the truth. This crew doesn't hunt youkai. The reputation isn't true."

At Inuyasha's confirmation, Shippo seemed to finally start to calm himself down.

"Okay," he replied.

"Do you want to join our crew, Shippo?" Kagome asked kindly. "We could use some extra hands if you want to stay."

At the gentle tone, Shippo half-smiled. "Okay...but only if Inuyasha stays, too."

Inuyasha chuckled. "I'm staying, too, kid."

Shippo relinquished his hold on Inuyasha's neck as he visibly relaxed.

"Men," Kagome called as she turned away from Inuyasha and Shippo. "We have a new guest on the ship. His name is Shippo, a kitsune."

The crew all nodded, and Inuyasha heard a chorus of greetings aimed toward Shippo.

The young kitsune waved in awe. Inuyasha nearly chuckled. Youkai were so used to being hunted and killed by humans...Inuyasha knew Shippo was feeling the same pleasant surprise Inuyasha had felt when he'd first arrived on the ship.

"They're nice here," Inuyasha assured him. "See?" Shippo nodded and finally smiled brightly.

"Maybe they'll want to see my kitsune magic sometime," he suggested, his voice still a little meek.

Kagome smiled at him. "We all would love to see it," she gushed.

She turned back to the crew. "We have succeeded in our attempts to ward off Bankotsu. We're in the clear now, so you all may resume your duties."

A collective applause rang out at the positive news. Kagome requested a meal be brought to Shippo as soon as possible before the crew dispersed and disappeared from the deck with only Miroku and Sango remaining.

"So tell us, Shippo, what's your story?" Kagome said when the crew was gone. "How did Captain Bankotsu capture you?"

Shippo hesitated. "Well, it's kind of a long story…"

Kagome nodded. "Let's all go down to my quarters. We can talk there more comfortably."

Once the small group reached Kagome's quarters, Kagome motioned to the head. "You can get cleaned up if you want. I know you just had a nice soak in the ocean, but you can still-"

Her words cut off at the sight of Shippo shaking his head. He refused to move from Inuyasha's shoulder, and the hanyo knew that was why he didn't want to use the head.

 _I guess it's alright for now,_ Inuyasha concluded, _but this better not be a permanent thing._

"Alright, Shippo," Kagome said smoothly, moving past it. "Can you tell us what happened?"

Shippo moved from Inuyasha's shoulder to plop down in his lap before speaking again.

"Bankotsu killed my parents," he began, "but he took me as his prisoner. He said young kitsune sell for a higher price than adults, but that he didn't want two useless youkai running around...so he killed them." The sadness and sympathy for Shippo resonated in the air.

"I'm so sorry," Kagome said sincerely. "That's awful."

Shippo fidgeted with the edge of his sleeve. "It is," he said timidly. "I'm still sad about it."

Inuyasha awkwardly patted his head. "It'll be alright, kid. Time heals wounds."

Shippo nodded before looking down at his lap.

"We'll do all we can to help you feel comfortable here," Miroku added. "Everyone will treat you kindly and respectfully. We're a family on this ship, and we would be honored if you would like to be a part of it."

The little kitsune brightened when he heard _family,_ and he wasted no time in nodding eagerly.

"I do," he replied. "I want to."

"Welcome home," Sango said warmly. "We're so happy to have you."

Shippo finally relaxed despite the overall sad demeanor still radiating from his tiny body. Inuyasha knew the pain of losing his family was still cutting him deeply. Heck, everyone in the room knew.

Another youkai, just like himself and Kagome...weird.

"Um, Captain Higurashi," he finally said. "Your aura...it's a little weird. Are...are you a youkai?"

Inuyasha figured Kagome would talk her way out of it or lie or _something_.

He definitely was not expecting her to flat out admit it.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm a quarter-youkai. My father was half-ningyo. But that's a very big secret, okay? The only people that know are us in this room. I'm only telling you because you're youkai, too."

Shippo nodded before confidently puffing out his chest. "Your secret is safe with me."

A knock came at the door, which was quickly answered by Kagome. It was a meal for Shippo, which Kagome gratefully took from the crewman before thanking him. When the crewman was gone, Kagome shut the door again and brought the bowl of soup over to Shippo.

The kitsune hungrily took the bowl and began slurping it from the edge, ignoring the spoon altogether. He finished eating quickly; his contentment was obvious as Kagome took the empty bowl from him and poured him a glass of water, which he drank just as quickly as he'd eaten.

"Thank you," Shippo said when Kagome took the empty glass from him and set it on her desk. "Captain Bankotsu only gave me one piece of bread each day and a half a cup of water. I could barely see in the dark, so I usually spilled most of it."

The room went silent at Shippo's words.

"You don't have to worry about that happening here," Kagome assured him. "You can eat and drink as much as you want, okay?"

Shippo nodded. "Thank you, but...there's one other thing I want to ask."

Kagome nodded back. "Go ahead."

"Um," Shippo, began hesitantly. "You smell like a woman...are you just pretending to be a man?"

To Inuyasha's surprise yet again, Kagome started laughing.

"You're shrewd, Shippo," she complimented as she took off her hat and released her wild mane of hair from the pin. "Yes, I am, but that's another secret you have to keep, okay? The rest of the crew don't know."

Shippo's eyes widened at the crazy locks springing from her head. He peered at her before nodding again. "I thought you were too pretty to be a man."

Kagome giggled again. "Thank you. My name is Kagome, by the way. But that's-"

"A secret," Shippo finished. "I'll keep all your secrets...Captain Kagome."

The adults of the group all managed to coax Shippo completely out of his fear, but the child still refused to leave Inuyasha's side for the rest of the day.

That night, Kagome set up a makeshift bed next to Inuyasha's cot for Shippo to sleep in. She grabbed a few fluffy blankets and some pillows to make a cozy little nest for him.

Inuyasha got him settled in it, and the child fell asleep only seconds after he curled up under one of the blankets.

"He's so peaceful," Kagome murmured as she admired Shippo.

Even Inuyasha had to smile. "Yeah. Poor kid."

After a quiet moment, Kagome turned her attention to Inuyasha. "Can you come with me to my quarters for a few minutes?" Perplexed, Inuyasha nodded and followed her out.

Silence remained around them as Kagome closed the door behind them once they entered her room.

Suddenly feeling somewhat awkward, Inuyasha frowed. "What?"

Kagome didn't speak for a moment as she took off her hat and took her hair down in the comfort of her room. She just stood in front of him, eyes glued up on his face.

"I wanted to apologize for getting so mad at you today," she admitted. "I just...I thought Bankotsu had taken you, and…"

Inuyasha blushed as she trailed off. _She was_ that _worried about me?_

"Sorry," he replied awkwardly. "I didn't mean to get you all freaked out."

Kagome laughed lightly. "It doesn't happen often, so don't worry about it."

After a quiet moment, Inuyasha dared to speak again.

"Um, so up on the deck when I first got back on the ship," he began hesitantly before trailing off.

Kagome watched him expectantly, as if silently encouraging him to continue.

"Well, you were crying," he finally continued. "Why?"

Kagome was obviously surprised by his question.

"I thought Bankotsu had taken you," she admitted. "I thought I had lost you-er, _we_ had lost you. I was scared, and sometimes I cry when I'm scared."

She huffed and frowned up at him. "So don't scare me again, alright? I'm not a fan of crying so you better not do it again, got that?"

Inuyasha just looked at her. Her blue eyes pierced his gold ones as she kept her gaze on him.

Finally, something in her seemed to break.

She moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Inuyasha froze. _Is she_ hugging _me?_ he wondered. _When was the last time someone hugged me?_

Hesitantly, he reached out and set his hands on her back. Encouraged, she tightened her embrace and held him a little closer.

After a moment, he relaxed and fully returned her embrace. He leaned his cheek on the top of her head and silently revelled in the texture of her hair. It wasn't as soft as it looked; he could practically feel the salty sea breeze in it as much as he could smile it. He tried to inhale subtly, the ocean scent overwhelming his sense of smell.

Not that he minded.

Finally, Kagome released him and pulled away. She folded her hands behind her back before smiling up at him.

"Well," she began, "today certainly didn't go as I expected."

Inuyasha chuckled. "No, I would say it didn't."

Her smile faltered as she heaved a sigh. "There's something else that happened," she admitted. "I didn't want to mention it in front of Shippo because that would lead to a bigger conversation than I think he would understand."

Inuyasha frowned. "What happened?"

She looked up at him, a troubled frown on her face. "I sensed the Shikon Jewel coming from Bankotsu. It felt weird, like it was only a small portion of it which I _know_ makes no sense, but...that's what I felt. He retreated before I could do anything about it."

 _What does that even mean?_ Inuyasha mused silently.

"Do you think he's joined forces with Naraku?" Inuyasha asked aloud. "Can the jewel be broken into different parts?"

Kagome shrugged. "I guess it's possible," she replied. "Maybe he broke a piece off for him...but why? It doesn't make any sense. Bankotsu has a band of six other pirates he's connected to. I can't imagine why he would join forces with Naraku when he already has other pirates he's involved with."

Inuyasha shook his head. He had no clue.

Kagome sighed. "No sense wondering about it now," she finally said. "Odds are we'll see him again soon...apparently he's expecting another confrontation sooner rather than later."

They fell into silence before Kagome yawned.

"Well, I guess I should get back," Inuyasha said. "If the kid wakes up and I'm not there, he'll probably scream."

Kagome smiled. "It's good that he's comfortable with you," she said. "He's really taken a liking to you, huh? It's cute."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, cute. It better not keep happening or I'll toss him off to you."

Kagome laughed. "Please do! He's so cute. I just want to hug him and comb his hair. Maybe I could find a ribbon or something to tie it up with so it's not hanging in his cute little face."

He tried to frown, he really did, but he couldn't help the smile that emerged. He didn't know how or why, but Kagome made him feel things he didn't quite understand yet.

"You think about your little ribbon idea," Inuyasha finally said. "I'm going to bed."

"Good night, Inuyasha," Kagome said as he opened the door to leave. He glanced back at her.

"Good night, Kagome," he replied quietly as he left, silently closing the door behind him.

As he walked back to Miroku's quarters, he sighed.

The way he was feeling, especially at the memory of how Kagome felt wrapped in his embrace, had a warmth spreading through him.

And, honestly, it was kind of nice.

O.o.O.o.O

Needless to say, Kagome didn't sleep much that night.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so scared.

The thought of losing Inuyasha _scared_ her.

She blushed at the thought of when she hugged him. It wasn't really intentional; it was as if her body moved on its own accord.

But feeling him against her as his arms finally settled around her, it made her beat a little faster. Even then, as she lay in her bed alone, her cheeks went up into flames.

She pushed the thought from her mind and instead thought about little Shippo. The poor kid. He was just like Kagome and the others. No family, alone in the world, feeling lost.

But now he'd been found, and Kagome didn't plan on ever losing him. And with the way he'd been clinging to Inuyasha for dear life, she didn't expect him to part ways with them any time soon.

She rolled onto her side and curled up under her blanket.

_And the jewel...why could I sense it coming from Bankotsu? It's not possible…_

Inuyasha could very well be right. Naraku could have split a piece of the jewel and given it him. Maybe he turned Bankotsu into one of his lackeys?

Kagome frowned. _No way. Bankotsu would never be a lackey for anyone, no matter what he got out of the deal. Besides, he's part of the Band of Seven. I heard rumors that they'd been killed, though, but maybe they were wrong?_

And besides, if Naraku was going to divide up the jewel for whatever reason he had, why _now?_ Why ten years after he'd stolen in from her?

The pieces just didn't fit. It didn't even seem like they were from the same puzzle. It was all too strange.

She decided to push the thoughts from her and at least attempt to sleep. She doubted she would be able to, but maybe she'd get lucky.

Her mind soon drifted back to the warmth of Inuyasha's embrace, and she allowed herself to indulge in the memory as she finally felt sleep overtake her.

 _Maybe things will work out peacefully,_ she hoped silently as she finally felt her consciousness fade away. _I feel more hopeful than I have in a long time, and I'm not going to let that go to waste._

At that point, it meant so much more to her.

To be continued…


	6. The Daiyoukai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update 1/16/2021: I got rid of the SessRin pairing in this story. I wrote it before I really understood the toxicity and inappropriate and, frankly, gross nature of this relationship. I also wrote it before the sequel was announced. Rin is not the human Sesshomaru married in this story. I have come up with an OC now because I don't want any inkling of support for this ship in any of my stories.
> 
> So. Meet my OC, Asahi.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. All rights to Rumiko Takahashi.

**Chapter 6: The Daiyoukai**

To Inuyasha's irritation, Shippo wasn't showing any signs of a fading attachment.

The kitsune followed Inuyasha to meals, up to the deck, and he had even taken to waiting outside the head when Inuyasha was doing his business.

It was annoying, but Inuyasha was actually relieved that the kit was adjusting to the ship. The crew liked having him around. He was still rather quiet, but he often showed off his kitsune magic and pridefully puffed his chest out when he received high praise for his skills.

Shippo hadn't spoken anymore about his past, even when Inuyasha asked him about it on the second night he was with them. The hanyo felt a pang of sympathy for the kid; he understood him. They all did, honestly, but he and Kagome were the ones that understood Shippo the best.

_Yeah, so why can't he go bother her?_ Inuyasha wondered in frustration.

On the third day with Shippo, the kitsune had yet to relinquish his constant attention on Inuyasha.

Inuyasha reached his breaking point when Shippo yet again followed him to the head shortly after breakfast.

"Why don't you go find Kagome?" Inuyasha suggested. It was all he could do to keep from barking (pun totally intended) an order at him. Shippo's eyes widened in fear.

"I don't want to," he whined. "I want to stay with you."

Inuyasha softened. "Listen, kid," he began. "I know it's scary being around new people, but no one is gonna hurt you here. Kagome is a youkai, too. She understands you just as much as I do."

Shippo shook his head defiantly. "No, she doesn't," he retorted. "She doesn't even look like a youkai!"

_So that's what this is about…maybe I should ask Kagome to show him her tail._

Inuyasha sighed. "Yeah, but she grew up with a hanyo father that looked like one. She still understands."

Hesitating, Shippo looked at the floor. Sighing, Inuyasha gently patted the kid's hair.

"Let me use the head," he began, "and then we can go find Kagome. She's really happy you're here. You'll love her once you get to know her, okay? She's kind and funny and smart and-"

Inuyasha cut himself off. _Whoa...get it together, weirdo. Since when do you babble on about people like an idiot?_

The hanyo cleared his throat. "Anyway, after I'm finished, we'll go see her."

Obviously still hesitant, Shippo finally nodded.

Inuyasha sighed in relief. "Alright. Just give me a minute."

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome was laying on her bed with an arm tossed lazily over her face. Ever since breakfast that morning, she'd been in her quarters obsessing over the confrontation with Bankotsu.

She still had no idea why he had attacked and then just left. His actions seemed pointless, but it felt like Kagome was missing something. The fact that he had part of the jewel made it worse. She just didn't understand it.

They were nine days away from Sesshomaru's castle, so she tried to focus on that instead. She was more than a little daunted at the idea of meeting the most powerful youkai in Japan.

_It'll be okay. Inuyasha will be with me. We'll be fine._

If there was one thing for which she knew she could rely on Inuyasha, it was strength. She hoped he felt like he could rely on her, too.

A knock jostled Kagome from her thoughts as she jumped up to grab her hat and pin. She'd let her hair down for comfort when she'd retreated to her quarters after breakfast.

"It's me," Inuyasha called from the other side of the door. "And Shippo."

Relieved, Kagome abandoned her search for the pin and hat. "Come in."

Inuyasha entered with Shippo at his usual perch on the hanyo's shoulder.

"Hi," Kagome greeted warmly as she resumed her seat on the bed.

Inuyasha nodded. "Hey."

Kagome couldn't read the expression on Shippo's face, but he still gave her a small, polite smile.

"What can I do for you two?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha pulled Shippo off his shoulder before setting him down on the bed. The hanyo looked expectantly at the little kit.

After a moment, Shippo turned to face Kagome.

"We came to say hi," the kitsune replied.

Kagome smiled. "Well, hi." She glanced at Inuyasha, whom was still standing near the door. He gave her a meaningful look. _Just roll with it,_ he seemed to say silently.

"Are you enjoying your time on the ship?" Kagome asked. She rarely saw Shippo without Inuyasha, and when he wasn't showing off his kitsune magic, he was mostly quiet.

Shippo nodded eagerly. "Yes," he replied. "You have good food here."

Kagome laughed. "I'm glad you think so."

The kitsune was quiet for another moment before speaking again. "You have pretty hair," he said.

Kagome smiled. "Thank you."

With curiosity playing on his face, Shippo examined Kagome's long locks. "Can I touch it?" he asked.

At Kagome's nod, Shippo moved closer to her on the bed and began running his fingers through it. "It's really nice."

As Shippo continued playing with her hair, Kagome was taken back to the night they'd found him.

During her and Inuyasha's embrace, Kagome had felt him gently run his claws through her hair. It seemed like he was doing it naturally; it was as if he didn't even realize he was doing it.

But it was nice...and comforting.

She glanced up at Inuyasha as the memory replayed in her head. He had a blush on his face, so she took it as a sign that his thoughts were the same as hers.

Kagome turned her attention back to Shippo. "You have nice hair, too," she said. "It seems like it's always getting in your eyes, though. Do you want me to put it up for you?"

Shippo nodded eagerly. "Yes, please. It'll be like you when you have your hat on."

The captain laughed as she got up and went over to her desk. "You're right. I just need to find a ribbon."

Inuyasha set a hand on the kit's hair. "I'm gonna go mop the deck. It's my turn today. You stay with Kagome and let her help you."

For a moment, it looked like Shippo was going to protest, but at the sight of the blue ribbon Kagome had found, his eyes lit up and he nodded.

"Okay," he said. "See you later."

Inuyasha set a gentle hand on Kagome's arm as she walked past him. "I'll come back in a little while," he murmured furtively. Shippo's attention was obviously too trained on the ribbon to pick up on his words. "Thanks."

Kagome smiled at him. "Of course."

With a final nod, Inuyasha removed his hand and left her quarters.

Kagome's skin tingled where he had touched her, and she reveled in the phantom feel of his hand on her.

"That's a pretty ribbon!" Shippo exclaimed happily.

His excited shout shook Kagome from her thoughts as her attention trained back on him.

"It sounds like you're ready to get that hair up," she replied with a smile.

As Kagome began to comb his hair, Shippo spoke.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked as Kagome combed the hair out of his face.

"Okay," she replied as she continued her task.

"Are you and Inuyasha in love?" he asked.

Mortified, Kagome's hands froze in his hair. "What? Why would you think that?"

Shippo shrugged and motioned for her to finish his hair. Kagome resumed her combing as Shippo continued.

"I dunno. You kinda act like my parents. Plus he was saying a bunch of stuff about you earlier. Maybe he just has a crush on you."

Trying to keep her heartbeat steady, Kagome grabbed the ribbon and began tying Shippo's hair up. "I don't think so, Shippo."

Curiosity overpowered her.

"Um...what did he say about me?" Kagome asked, attempting nonchalance.

Shippo shrugged again as Kagome finished tying the ribbon. "Just that you're kind and smart and some other stuff that I can't remember."

Kagome's cheeks warmed. _He really said that about me? Wow...I wouldn't have expected that._

"He also said that your father looked different," he continued. "You said he was a hanyo when I first came to the ship, but you didn't say much else. What did he look like?"

Kagome tested the ribbon to make sure it was tight before dropping her hands from Shippo's hair.

"Well, his skin had a greenish-bluish tint," she began. "His hands were webbed, and his hair looked a lot like mine." She smiled. "And he always smelled like the sea. When he would hug me when I was little, it was like breathing in the ocean breeze."

Shippo smiled back at her. "That's what it's like being near you. You smell like the ocean."

Kagome laughed and crossed her legs in front of her. "That's nice to hear. I guess I don't really notice it."

To Kagome's surprise, little tears began to form in Shippo's eyes. "Inuyasha said that you would understand what it's like to be youkai. I didn't believe him, but you do. I'm really glad."

Kagome wiped away a tear that started to trickle down his cheek. "I'm glad, too. But why didn't you believe him?" She kept her tone kind, but she was surprised to hear his admission.

Shippo shrugged. "You look like a human. Your eyes are blue, which is a little weird, but not weird enough to look like a youkai. That's why I didn't believe him."

Kagome smiled kindly. "It's okay. I know I don't look youkai right now, but I do have a youkai form."

Shippo's eyes widened. "You do? Really? What does it look like?"

"Well, I'm part-ningyo," Kagome explained. "So in my youkai form, I have a ningyo tail and scales."

"Wow!" Shippo exclaimed. "That sounds so cool! Can you show me?"

Laughing, Kagome nodded. "Sure. It'll have to be later tonight, though. The crew doesn't know about it, so I have to be careful about when I transform."

Nodding solemnly, Shippo nodded. "So many secrets," he whispered.

Smiling, Kagome gently patted his cheek. "But it's kind of fun, right? We're like spies."

Shippo jumped up. "Or ninjas!"

Kagome laughed. "Okay, like ninjas."

The pair were still laughing when Inuyasha flared his aura from the other side of the door.

"Come in, Inuyasha," Kagome called when he knocked.

The hanyo entered the room to see the two of them sitting together on Kagome's bed.

Closing the door behind him, Inuyasha walked over to sit in Kagome's chair.

"You two pals yet?" he asked.

Shippo hopped up from the bed and onto Inuyasha's lap.

"Yep!" he replied happily. "Kagome let me touch her hair and then she put a ribbon in _my_ hair and then she's going to show me her ninyo tail tonight!"

At Inuyasha's glance at her, Kagome nodded. "Youkai-to-youkai," she said.

Inuyasha smiled at the familiar words. "Youkai-to-youkai," he repeated.

"Can we have lunch now?" Shippo asked as he gently tugged on one of Inuyasha's forelocks. Kagome checked her pocket watch.

"Oh, wow," she said. "I didn't realize how late it had gotten. Lunch is starting in five minutes."

Kagome got up to retrieve her pin and hat. Quickly tossing her hair up, she put her shoes back on.

"Let's go," she said. When Inuyasha stood up, Kagome was surprised to feel Shippo hop onto her shoulder.

The kitsune nuzzled his cheek against hers as Kagome opened the door. She heard Inuyasha chuckle quietly behind her.

Glancing back at him, Kagome grinned. _He must be relieved that Shippo is sharing his attention._ One look at the little kitsune was enough to reignite a similar happiness that had come when she and Inuyasha had first connected.

Nuzzling her cheek back against Shippo's, they all made their way to the galley.

O.o.O.o.O

That night, Inuyasha found himself following Kagome and Shippo up to the deck. It was well into the night; the moon was bright above them and stars littered the sky.

Shippo was settled on Inuyasha's shoulder as Kagome reenacted the same routine when she'd first shown Inuyasha her true form.

Shippo gasped at the glow in the water after Kagome dove in. He smiled down at her tail and tugged on Inuyasha's sleeve.

"Kagome's a ningyo!" he whispered excitedly. "Look at her!"

Shippo's eyes were glued to Kagome as she raised her tail up in the water.

"Wow," Shippo breathed. "She's so beautiful."

Inuyasha looked down at the ningyo. _Yeah, she_ is _beautiful._

Inuyasha wasn't sappy, and he wasn't sentimental, but _beautiful_ was the only way to describe Kagome.

It was the second time the hanyo had seen her transformation, but it might as well have been the first given the way she still took his breath away.

"I'm gonna swim for a bit," Kagome called up quietly. "I'll wave at the porthole like last time."

Once she dove back in, Inuyasha and Shippo went down to Kagome's quarters to wave at her through the porthole.

A little while later, after Inuyasha had helped Kagome back up to the ship and she'd gotten dressed, they all made their way back to her quarters. Shippo was still bouncing up and down excitedly even after they'd reached her room.

Kagome took off her hat and let her hair down as she laughed at Shippo's excitement.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," she said as she grabbed a comb to detangle her wild locks.

The kit's excitement soon turned to a wide yawn.

Hiding a private smile, Kagome patted his cheek. "Looks like you're tired, huh?"

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome before addressing the kit. "Go on and meet me in Miroku's quarters, alright? I'll be there in a few minutes."

Obviously too tired to argue, Shippo nodded and left the room. When the door had closed behind him, Inuyasha came and sat down in Kagome's chair.

Concern was evident in the captain's eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Nothing. Just...thanks."

"For what?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha shrugged. "For that with the kit."

Kagome sighed. "He said he wasn't as comfortable with me because I look human. I figured it was the best way to make him feel better."

The hanyo nodded. "Yeah, that's what he told me, too. I was hoping you would show him, but I didn't want to press it."

Pausing for a moment, Kagome finally smiled brightly.

"Um, what are you smiling about?" Inuyasha asked awkwardly.

Kagome shook her head. "Oh, nothing," she teased with a wave of her hand. "It just seems like you're going a bit soft, is all."

Frowning, Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I'm not going 'soft,' woman," he retorted. "I was just trying to get him off my back all the time."

Humming in fake agreement, Kagome smiled again. "Whatever you say, tough guy. It's not a bad thing. It's a compliment."

Inuyasha's frown softened as he met Kagome's gaze. Her smile was small and sincere; it roped him in the same way as everything else she did nowadays.

"Yeah," he finally conceded. "You somehow have a way of picking up stray youkai and making them feel like their lives don't totally suck."

Laughing lightly, Kagome's smile widened. "I guess it's my specialty now," she replied.

Chuckling, Inuyasha stood up and stretched. "I'm heading to bed," he announced. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Inuyasha."

"Good night, Kagome."

Once he was gone, Kagome flopped back onto her bed. She couldn't deny the feeling she had, but she still didn't know how to describe it.

She replayed their embrace from a few days prior, shocked that something so small could still be having such a big impact on her.

His woodsy scent flooded her mind again, as did the warm comfort of being in his arms.

_What is this feeling? Being near him feels like being home...ever since he got here, it's felt like I'm complete in a way I haven't felt in so long. I'd almost forgotten how it felt..._

When Kagome fell asleep, her dreams were filled with silver and gold.

O.o.O.o.O

The next week of their journey went by without incident. Shippo seemed to be completely accustomed to life on the ship, and he'd really taken a liking to Miroku and Sango as well.

On the day before they were set to arrive at Sesshomaru's castle, they were all enjoying breakfast.

Well, everyone except Inuyasha. He was stewing over having to see his brother the next day.

"So, Shippo," Kagome began, "Inuyasha and I will be going somewhere tomorrow. We'll be off the ship for most of the day."

Shippo frowned. "Can I come with you?" he asked.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Captain Higurashi just said it was the two of us. You're not coming so don't even bother asking again."

The kitsune recoiled as Kagome sent Inuyasha a dirty look.

"Inuyasha!" she hissed. "Don't talk to him like that! He just asked a simple question. You don't need to fly off the handle."

"Keh!" Inuyasha scoffed. He shut his mouth, though. He was wound-up about having to see Sesshomaru. The kid had gotten caught by his emotional shrapnel.

Glaring at Inuyasha one more time, Kagome turned her attention back onto Shippo.

"We're going somewhere for a meeting for grown-ups," she explained kindly. "We don't quite know what to expect when we get there, so it's safer for you to stay with Miroku and Sango while we're gone, okay?"

Despite his obvious upset, Shippo nodded. "Okay. I'll miss you."

Kagome gave him a quick hug and kiss on the top of his head. "We'll miss you, too."

Feeling more than a little guilty, Inuyasha gently tweaked Shippo's ear. "Keep your pants on, kid," he said a little nicer than before. "We'll be back before you know it."

"We'll have a lot of fun," Miroku cut in. "We can play games."

Sango nodded. "Maybe the chef can make cookies, too."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. _We're coddling this kid like crazy._

The hanyo sighed. After what Shippo had gone through, maybe a little coddling wasn't a bad idea.

O.o.O

The next day, Inuyasha woke up dreading what was to come.

When he met up with Kagome in her quarters shortly after breakfast, she seemed quieter than usual. _Maybe she's worried about it. I would be, too, if I were her. Sesshomaru isn't the nicest guy out there._

"You ready?" he asked.

Kagome nodded as they headed up to the top deck.

After a very tearful goodbye from Shippo when the ship docked at a vacant marina, Kagome and Inuyasha set off on a path that eventually led them into a forest. Kagome changed quickly behind a large tree before they resumed their journey.

They walked quietly along a path that led them deeper into the forest.

After what felt like much longer than he knew it probably was, Inuyasha sensed that they were nearing the barrier.

Inuyasha's skin was crawling as he and Kagome got closer. One glance at Kagome told him that she was just as nervous.

"There," he said as he pointed ahead. It was barely there, but there was a small ripple in their view caused by the barrier. "That's it. Once we pass through the barrier, it's about a ten-minute walk."

Kagome nodded but said nothing.

"Sesshomaru will know we're there as soon as we pass through the barrier," Inuyasha continued to explain. "He'll sense that it's me but he'll be uncertain about you. Don't hide your aura. If he knows you're youkai, he won't be as suspicious."

Kagome's eyes widened as her head whipped to face him. "Do you think it's possible that he might kill me?"

Immediately shaking his head, Inuyasha felt confident he could put her mind at ease. "No. He'll know you're youkai. It's illegal to kill our own kind, and considering he's the daiyoukai, he definitely won't. Don't worry about that."

Seeming to relax a little, Kagome half-smiled. "Okay, good."

"Don't be nervous," Inuyasha said. "You'll be fine."

Kagome nodded. "What about you?" she asked. "How are you feeling?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Annoyed," he replied flatly. "I'm not excited to see him, but it can't be helped."

Kagome hummed. "I still think you should see this as an opportunity to make amends and maybe become closer to him."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and ignored her suggestion. They were coming up on the barrier quickly, so Inuyasha increased his pace.

"We're about to pass through the barrier," he announced. "Just keep your aura open."

Before he could step through, Kagome gripped his arm. "Wait, won't he sense my spiritual power?"

That made Inuyasha pause. "Um...can you suppress just that part?"

Kagome frowned. "I don't think so."

Huffing, Inuyasha took her hand in his. "Just stay close to me. Maybe our youkai auras can somewhat overpower the spiritual part of yours. It's a longshot, but it's better than nothing until we reach the castle."

Nodding firmly, Kagome tightened her grip on his hand as they walked through the barrier.

The overpowering sense of many different youkai auras throughout the castle nearly knocked Inuyasha off his feet. It had been a long time since he'd felt so many auras like his own, and it brought an odd yet welcome sense of camaraderie. He was actually among his own kind. That one feeling almost made up for having to see Sesshomaru.

At his side, he heard Kagome gasp. When Inuyasha looked at her, her blue eyes had widened and she seemed to freeze.

"I've never felt this," she breathed. "So many youkai auras...it's incredible."

Inuyasha shouldn't have been surprised at her similar reaction, but he honestly was. The more time he spent with Kagome, the more he believed that they _were_ similar. They _did_ have a bond.

And he was okay with it.

"I feel it, too," he admitted to her. "It's nice being surrounded by the non-human part of you."

Kagome nodded eagerly as she tugged on his hand to keep moving.

As they walked quickly in the direction of the castle, Inuyasha felt his senses picking something up.

"Sesshomaru knows we're here," he told Kagome as they hurried their pace. "He's inviting me in, so we should be fine to enter and see him."

Ten minutes later, Kagome gasped as they approached the massive castle. It was marvellously-decorated, but to Inuyasha, it was ugly and gaudy. He hated being here, but he forced himself to move forward.

Two youkai guards were standing at the entrance. When they saw Inuyasha, they bowed deeply.

"Welcome, my lord," they greeted. "Lord Sesshomaru is awaiting your appearance in the throne room."

They eyed Kagome as Inuyasha passed them with her hand still gripped tightly in his. They said nothing, but Inuyasha knew they were picking up on the difference in her aura.

"'My lord?'" Kagome repeated when they'd passed the guards. "Are you royalty here?"

Inuyasha grimaced as they started walking down a long corridor. "Uh, not really. Sesshomaru and a lot of other youkai don't see it that way, but our father was the Inu no Taisho before he died and Sesshomaru took over. Those guards are some of the few that see me as nobility. I'm half-human, so I'm not really welcome to stay at the castle." He scoffed. "Not like I'd want to anyway. Sesshomaru has a stick shoved up his-"

"How dare you speak of my lord that way!" a shrill voice shrieked. "Renounce your words at once!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes when he caught sight of his brother's most trusted vassal. "Shut up, Jaken."

The small green imp youkai tried to hit him with his staff, but Inuyasha ducked out of the way and avoided it.

Kagome laughed beside him, which brought Jaken's attention to her.

"What kind of woman have you brought here?" Jaken shouted. "Spiritual power mixed with youkai power? Her aura is a disgrace to all youkai!"

Kagome deflated beside him, which only angered Inuyasha more.

He stomped his foot down on Jaken, effectively silencing him. "Don't talk to her that way," he growled, "or I'll tear you apart, got it?"

Jaken tried to get Inuyasha to relinquish his hold on him. The hanyo added another ounce of pressure to make the imp sweat a bit more.

Finally, Inuyasha removed his foot and took Kagome's hand again before gently tugging her along. "Let's go," he said gruffly. "He's a pest."

Kagome kept a firm grip on his hand. Inuyasha could feel the increased rate of her pulse.

"Hey," he said, trying to get her to meet his gaze. "You're not a disgrace. Jaken is an idiot that doesn't understand things."

Kagome nodded and finally smiled. "I can't believe you _stepped_ on him."

Inuyasha grinned. "That's usually the only way to get him to shut up."

Their mirth receded as they approached a massive wooden door. It was the entrance to Sesshomaru's throne room.

"You ready?" he asked Kagome. She nodded her affirmation.

The doors opened, allowing them to enter. Inuyasha let go of her hand but motioned for her to remain close.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru called as he came into view. "I see you have brought a rather...unusual guest."

Kagome gasped quietly next to him. Inuyasha knew Sesshomaru could be quite a shock to anyone that saw him, with his regal red and white kimono and over-the-top armor. His long hair was straight and smooth as usual, his cool demeanor disguising anything he might be feeling.

When his eyes landed on Kagome, she bowed deeply. Inuyasha almost rolled his eyes.

"My name is Kagome, my lord," she greeted politely. "I thank you for granting me entrance with your brother."

Sesshomaru took her in silently for a moment until she rose from her bow.

"Hm," Sesshomaru hummed from his throne. "Your aura is most interesting. A miko, a human, a youkai. From whom are you descended?"

Inuyasha growled. "That's none of your concern!" he shouted. "Mind your own business, Sessho." He used the nickname to try and get him riled up, but Sesshomaru didn't react to it.

He only rolled his eyes. "She is part-youkai," he replied calmly. "You understand that _makes_ her my business."

Knowing he was right, Inuyasha frowned and went silent.

His older brother returned his attention to Kagome. "Now," he began again, "from whom are you descended?"

Kagome gave a very brief answer about her parents' heritage. To Inuyasha's surprise, Sesshomaru seemed...unsettled.

"I see," he remarked. "So your mother was Kikyo. She has quite a reputation for killing youkai during the war."

"She wasn't a youkai killer," Kagome defended immediately. "She was in alliance with youkai. It's how she met my father."

Sesshomaru paused for a moment before turning back to Inuyasha. "I assume that since she is with you and you are so protective of her, you believe what she says."

Not even bothering to be embarrassed, Inuyasha only hardened his gaze. "Yes," he replied firmly. "She's telling the truth."

The daiyoukai nodded before leaning back slightly on his throne. "What is your purpose for being here?" he asked. "I take it this is not a friendly family visit."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome in silent encouragement to speak. She hesitated for a moment before telling Sesshomaru about the two youkai women and the conversation she'd overheard.

"When was this?" Sesshomaru asked when she'd finished.

"About two weeks ago, my lord," Kagome replied. "Inuyasha suggested we come tell you immediately."

The hanyo thought he saw a hint of surprise flash over Sesshomaru's face before he receded into his cold gaze once again.

"I see," the daiyoukai replied. "And you said the ship had a spider as its figurehead?" At Kagome's affirmative nod, Sesshomaru frowned

"I am unaware of the existence of such a ship," he said coolly. "It is very uncommon for youkai to be sailing the seas aside from you, woman. Our kind tend to hide amongst the shadows on land." He eyed Kagome. "I'm curious about how you obtained your ship as well."

Hesitating, Kagome sighed. "I'm known as Captain Higurashi. My crew doesn't kill youkai. We help them when we can, but we have other goals that don't include killing anyone in general."

Inuyasha glared at Sesshomaru, as if daring him to react to that piece of information.

"Interesting," Sesshomaru said. "Once again, since Inuyasha is with you, I will believe you."

Kagome sighed in relief. "Thank you, my lord. So...you don't know anything about the ship I saw?"

Sesshomaru shook his head. "I do not."

"Alright, there's our answer," Inuyasha cut in. "Now we can leave." He gently gripped Kagome's arm to try and get her to follow him out.

"Wait!" Kagome exclaimed. "We should-"

"You have not mentioned the prophecy," Sesshomaru interjected. "What is your reason for omitting such an important piece of information?"

Inuyasha and Kagome froze.

"How did you know about that?" Kagome asked in obvious shock. She quickly blushed. "Uh, my lord."

"I knew your parents," Sesshomaru said. "Your mother was a bright woman, kind, with a deep love for life and the hanyo she married. You favor her looks, but I still had to be certain it was you before I could confirm my suspicions."

Inuyasha saw Kagome's eyes widen. "You actually knew them?" she asked in a wavering voice. "How?"

The hanyo returned to her side in silent comfort.

Instead of answering, Sesshomaru stood from his throne and began walking toward the door. "Come with me, both of you," he said. "I will explain."

Inuyasha and Kagome followed him immediately. Without really thinking about it, Inuyasha took Kagome's hand again. She responded with a quick squeeze.

Sesshomaru led them to a room down the corridor. It appeared to be locked until he flared a bit of his power onto the doorknob. It opened to reveal a small, dusty room.

Upon entering, Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked around.

"What is this?" he asked as he took in the dozens of scrolls stacked haphazardly. "Sure makes it look like you're a slob."

Kagome sneezed as she picked up the scroll nearest to her. "Are these records?" she asked.

Sesshomaru nodded. "Yes," he replied. "They are from long ago. There is something I think you would like to see."

The daiyoukai walked to the farthest end of the room and dug around for a moment. When he'd apparently found what he had been looking for, he walked back over and handed it to Kagome.

"This might be of great interest to you," he said coolly. With a questioning look, Kagome unrolled the scroll and gasped. Peeking over her shoulder, Inuyasha peered at the paper to see what had startled her.

It was a marriage record that was obviously very old. It featured a picture of a young couple. The woman, tall and thin, was dressed in traditional miko garb with long, straight hair and bright eyes. A man's arms were wrapped around her from behind.

The man was several inches shorter and even though it was a black and white photo, Inuyasha could tell his skin was an unnatural shade. Wild hair was pulled back in a ponytail trailing down his back. His smile was bright and the hands on the woman's waist were slightly...webbed?

_Could it be…?_

"Those are my parents," Kagome said, her voice shaking. "Is this their marriage certificate?"

The bottom read _Kaito and Kikyo Shimizu._ It was dated over fifty years prior.

"Yes," Sesshomaru replied. "You may keep it if you would like." Kagome looked at it for a moment more before handing it back to Sesshomaru.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "Thank you, but I fear it would be damaged during our travels. I'm amazed to see it, though. It even has our true surname on it. So...you really did know them?"

Sesshomaru hummed. "One of my youkai married a miko," he replied easily. "Do you think that would go unnoticed by such a one as I?"

Kagome's disbelief was still written all over her face. "So she told you the prophecy?" she asked.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "No," he replied. "It came to me in a dream a few days before I gained word of their engagement. Upon meeting Kikyo, she told me about it. It confirmed my premonition."

"Then you know she failed," Kagome concluded. "She died in the war." Sesshomaru nodded.

"Yes," he confirmed. "A valiant effort, but to no avail. It was a true tragedy."

Inuyasha was dumbfounded by Sesshomaru's words, but they seemed to be significant to Kagome, so he remained quiet.

"But I do not believe she failed," Sesshomaru continued. "She produced the miko in the prophecy. It was not her, but her daughter. Her daughter, a youkai, but not quite. A human, but not quite. A miko all the same. You are the one mentioned in the prophecy."

He turned to Inuyasha. "And you, Inuyasha, are the hanyo from the prophecy. Given your habit of being daft, I assume you did not believe this woman when she told you."

Inuyasha blushed. "Keh," he scoffed. "So what? Why are you telling us all this?"

Sesshomaru frowned. "The time has come," he replied. "Kagome has found you. You have agreed to help her and work with her to defeat the darkness in the world. Destroying Naraku and retrieving the jewel is your only hope."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "How did you know about the jewel?" he asked.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "If you would come to the castle more often," he began, "you might be more well-versed in things. It is not knowledge shared with common youkai. You, Inuyasha, are not common youkai regardless of you or I might think. Had you remained here at the castle, I would have told you."

Inuyasha laughed humorlessly. "You mean stay here where I'm ridiculed and assaulted daily because of my human heritage? Yeah, no thanks. And it's not like you're exactly welcoming whenever I've been here before!"

Sesshomaru's patience was obviously running thin. "Moving on from your ridiculousness, now that you have come into your own, it is time to take action. Draw your sword."

Confused, Inuyasha drew his Tessaiga and held it up.

Kagome's reaction to seeing the rusty old sword was a mix between disbelief and genuine confusion. Inuyasha blushed. He'd told her before that it wasn't good for fighting, but he hadn't actually shown it to her.

"I know it ain't much," he defended. "My old man left it to me. I don't know why he'd give me such a piece of crap, but I've still held onto it."

"Ah," Sesshomaru began, "but you have never had the opportunity to allow the Tessaiga to transform. That is the problem." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed.

"Transform?" Inuyasha repeated. "Totosai never said anything about that. How do you know? Did Totosai tell you?"

"No," Sesshomaru replied. "Father did. Now you'll be able to use the Tessaiga freely."

"You've known about this for hundreds of years," Inuyasha began loudly, "and you're just now telling me?"

Sesshomaru glared at him. "Pay attention to your sword," he ordered.

Frowning, Inuyasha focused back on the sword and tried to make it transform. He wasn't sure what exactly he was expecting, but it didn't matter. Nothing happened.

"Liar!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "This piece of junk doesn't work."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "You fool. It's not going to transform immediately. Just like all other forms of fighting or weaponry, you must learn to master it."

Huffing, Inuyasha sheathed his sword. "Whatever. Anyway, we've told you what we know about those youkai women. What should we do?"

Sesshomaru motioned for them to exit the room. Once the door was locked behind them, the daiyoukai led them back to his throne room. He requested one of his guards to retrieve two chairs for Kagome and Inuyasha.

Once everyone was seated, Sesshomaru spoke. "I believe this is the beginning of the end," he began. "Darkness has been looming over the world for over fifty years. I have kept the prophecy in the back of my mind since I first heard about it, especially since I had my suspicions that you were the hanyo."

"Why did it come to you?" Inuyasha asked, genuinely curious. "Why didn't it reveal itself to me?"

Sesshomaru shook his head. "You are careless, little brother. I imagine it took much effort for Kagome to convince you of the truth. You wouldn't have believed the prophecy if it came to you. It is for this reason that I believe the prophecy came to me to explain further when you were ready."

"That makes sense," Kagome added. "There was no need for Inuyasha to know about it until he and I crossed paths." She turned to the hanyo seated next to her. "Everything has happened for a reason."

"Indeed," Sesshomaru said. "Now that you two have met and joined forces, chaos will ensue. Naraku must be destroyed."

Inuyasha's head was spinning, but everything was finally starting to make sense. He and Kagome meeting was the catalyst. Now that the news was spreading of Inuyasha's presence on Kagome's ship as well as the conversation between the two youkai women, there was no way chaos _couldn't_ ensue.

"Fine," Inuyasha finally conceded. "Great. Can we leave now, your highness?" He kept his tone sarcastic to try and hide his unease.

"Wait," Kagome said as she set a hand on his arm to keep him from standing up from his seat.

"What now?" he asked exasperatedly.

Kagome gave him a _drop the attitude_ look before she addressed Sesshomaru.

"There was an attack on a monastery about eleven years ago," she began. "All of the monks were slain except for one. It was a random youkai attack. What do you know about it?"

Sesshomaru paused. "I know nothing of that," he admitted. "There has been no word of a youkai attack since the Great War and those were solely defensive rather than mass slaughter, which is what your account sounds like."

That surprised Inuyasha. "Keh," he scoffed. "Some ruler you are. You don't even know crap about your own youkai."

If looks could kill, Sesshomaru would have destroyed Inuyasha at that moment.

"I would keep my mouth shut if I were you," he growled. "There have been no other rogue youkai attacks anywhere else since the war. I will do some investigation at the site, but other than that, I do not know of anything else I will be able to do."

Kagome frowned. "Well...that isn't the only one I'm aware of," she admitted. "There was another attack on a taijiya village soon after the monastery. Everyone was killed except for one."

Sesshomaru hummed. "That is troubling. I will look into both of those."

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome. "Was that Sango?" he asked.

Sadly, Kagome nodded her affirmation.

"You know of no others?" Sesshomaru asked.

"That's it," Kagome replied. "Just those two."

Inuyasha thought for a moment. _Two random rogue youkai attacks within the same year and they both left one survivor. That's an insane coincidence if I've ever heard one._

"Do you think they were connected?" Inuyasha asked. "Think about it...two random attacks? How close was the monastery to the taijiya village?"

Kagome paused. "About two days by foot," she replied slowly as her eyes widened. "But it would take a youkai less time, especially if they had an objective in mind."

Inuyasha frowned at Sesshomaru. "Let us look into the attacks," he demanded. "We'll go to the remains of the monastery and the village. Something weird is happening here, and I don't think it's a mistake that the two survivors found each other and then found their way to Kagome."

"The two survivors are your current companions?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yes," Kagome confirmed. "Miroku, Sango, and I have been traveling together for the last ten years. Inuyasha joined us a few weeks ago. We just had a new crew member join us recently as well."

"Another youkai?" Sesshomaru assumed. At Kagome's nod, he frowned. "You are right, Inuyasha. Something is odd about all of this. How did you find your newest crew member?"

Kagome explained Captain Bankotsu's attack and how Inuyasha had rescued Shippo.

"I thought the Band of Seven was dead," Kagome admitted, "but I must have heard wrong. Bankotsu captured Shippo and was transporting him somewhere. Shippo didn't know anything."

"Hm," Sesshomaru hummed.

"Bankotsu also had part of the Shikon Jewel," Kagome added. "It was strange, but it felt like just a small piece."

Sesshomaru's widened in a rare show of emotion. "Are you quite certain?"

Kagome nodded. "I think he must have crossed paths with Naraku. Maybe he stole it from him."

"Or they have joined forces," Sesshomaru replied. Kagome shook her head.

"Bankotsu already has the Band of Seven," she countered. "Why would he need to team up with Naraku?"

They all went silent; no one had an answer.

"Well," Inuyasha said, finally breaking the silence. "We're not gonna get any more answers here. Let's go, Kagome."

The captain frowned and looked at Inuyasha. "Isn't there something you should probably say to your brother?"

Confused, Inuyasha frowned and shrugged. Kagome rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Sesshomaru.

"Thank you for your help, Lord Sesshomaru," she said politely. "We appreciate your input." She rose from her bow. "I think this information will really help us."

Sesshomaru nodded at her. "Do your best to keep me informed about your movements. It is difficult for youkai to communicate, but it is still possible."

Nodding, Inuyasha and Kagome began to stand up until a chipper voice startled them into pausing.

"Sesshomaru, darling! You missed lunch so I was worried!"

A short woman entered the room with a bright smile on her face. She had long, black hair and piercing green eyes. She looked to be in her early twenties.

And she was very much a human.

Upon seeing Inuyasha and Kagome, the woman clapped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

"Oh, my," she said as she removed her hand. "I do apologize. I didn't realize there were guests."

Inuyasha glared at the woman as her scent assaulted him.

"Oi, Sessho," he growled as he looked at his older brother. "What the heck is a human doing here?"

Sesshomaru grimaced. "This is Asahi. She is my intended."

Inuyasha's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

" _What?"_ he shouted. "You're engaged to a human? After giving me crap my whole life about being just _half_ -human? Your children are going to be hanyo!"

"Enough!" Sesshomaru bellowed. "Shut your mouth this instant!"

Asahi frowned as she approached Sesshomaru's throne.

"Um," she said as she paused near Inuyasha. "You're Sesshomaru's brother?"

Inuyasha glared at her. "Yes," he spat out. "Guess I should say welcome to the family, but I'm not really considered _family_ enough to say that."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "Stop acting like a child, Inuyasha."

"Where did you meet her?" Inuyasha demanded. "How did you manage to get her here?"

"Sesshomaru rescued me from thieves about a year ago," Asahi cut in. "He saved my life. He's kind and beautiful and strong…it was love at first sight."

Inuyasha nearly gagged at the almost _kind_ way Sesshomaru looked at her.

Inuyasha wanted to pummel him.

Kagome, obviously trying to relieve the tension, smiled at Asahi. "Hi, Asahi. I'm Kagome. It's nice to meet you."

Asahi smiled brightly at her. "Hello, Kagome. My goodness, you're so beautiful. Look at all that hair!"

The captain blushed. "Thank you."

Asahi came over to her and clasped Kagome's hands. "Are you Inuyasha's intended? Are we soon to be sisters-in-law?"

Kagome's jaw dropped as she locked Inuyasha's gaze in mortification.

Inuyasha blushed. "No, she's not. Mind your own business."

Kagome glared at him. "Be nice to her! There's no reason to be rude!"

Asahi smiled and bowed at Inuyasha. "It's okay. I know it's a lot to take in. Inuyasha, I apologize that you had to find out this way. I shouldn't have burst into the room as I did. I didn't know Sesshomaru had company."

Sesshomaru scoffed. "They are hardly company, Asahi. This was a professional meeting."

"Yeah, and it's over," Inuyasha added as he looked at Kagome. He tried to will away his lingering blush. "We're leaving. _Now_."

Picking up on his upset, Kagome nodded.

Asahi drooped. "Can't you stay for something to eat?" she asked. "It's well past lunchtime, and it would be wonderful to get to know you."

Surprisingly, Inuyasha softened a bit. She seemed nice…he didn't understand how his brother managed to get her to fall in love with him.

"Um," Inuyasha stuttered, "maybe some other time. We really need to leave."

Brightening at his plan to return, Asahi nodded happily. "Okay. It was absolutely wonderful to meet you."

She hugged Kagome quickly. "And you, Kagome. I do hope you two will return soon."

Kagome smiled and hugged Asahi back.

Inuyasha avoided looking at Sesshomaru. "I'll be in touch. Unfortunately."

With that, he stalked out of the throne room. He heard Kagome give some final parting gratitude before she caught up with him.

Inuyasha was silent until they were out of the castle and back on the path to the edge of the barrier.

Thoughts were racing through his head. _I can't believe Sesshomaru is marrying a human. What a hypocrite! After ridiculing me and being a jerk to me about my human heritage my whole life, he has the_ audacity _to marry one?_

"Inuyasha?"

Kagome's gentle voice dissolved his thoughts.

"What?" he growled. "You gonna try to tell me to go back in there and 'make amends?' Pretend he's my family? Sing some campfire songs and hug it out?"

Kagome shook her head. "Honestly, I could fight him. I can't believe he wouldn't even apologize about everything he's done. I mean, he's following in your father's footsteps, right? You would think he'd renounce everything bad he's said about youkai marrying humans!"

Inuyasha halted for a moment. Concerned, Kagome looked back at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Did what I say not help? I'm sorry. I wish I could make you feel better."

There was something about the way her blue eyes shone with empathy. Kagome understood him on a level he couldn't even comprehend; she had changed him thoroughly. It had been just under a month since he'd met her, but it felt like a lifetime. This feeling he had…he knew he'd only scratched the surface.

Inuyasha couldn't stop himself; in a very uncharacteristic motion, he reached out and pulled Kagome against him in an embrace similar to their first one.

Kagome sighed and wrapped her arms around him. She comforted him silently as her hand gently ran up and down his back.

"Inuyasha," she murmured. "Everything will be okay."

Inuyasha nodded against her before burying his face in her hair. He drew comfort from the ocean scent clinging to her.

When he finally pulled away, he was pleased to find that his own scent had stuck to her. _The things she does to me…_

Kagome smiled and reached up to gently pat his cheek. "Better?" she asked.

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. Let's keep going."

With a final look, they continued on their way.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome's heart was still racing in her chest after they'd returned to the ship. There was something loaded in his embrace. It was welcome, but unexpected. Seeing his brother had obviously affected him deeply, so Kagome was all too willing to help Inuyasha as much as she could.

_Yeah, I'm helping him,_ she resolved to herself. _That's what this is. I'm happy that he felt comfortable enough to hug me…and hold me…and breathe me in…and-_

"Captain Higurashi!" Shippo shouted when she and Inuyasha hopped onto the deck.

"Shippo!" she greeted back. "Did you have fun with Miroku and Sango while we were gone?"

Glancing at the sun, she saw that they had been gone for quite a while. It was nearly dinner and they hadn't eaten lunch; Kagome was famished.

Shippo nodded eagerly. "We made cookies and I drew you a picture." He held up a piece of paper with a cat and dog on it. He pointed to the cat. "That's you." He then pointed to the dog. "And that's Inuyasha!"

Blushing, Kagome smiled awkwardly. "That looks great, Shippo. Nice job."

"Yeah, yeah, it's great," Inuyasha said gruffly. "Let's get some food. I'm starving after that fiasco."

Miroku and Sango ran up to the deck and smiled at the returned pair.

"Welcome back!" Sango greeted. "Was your mission successful?"

"Define successful," Inuyasha muttered under his breath. Kagome ignored him as she tried to figure out how to answer Sango.

_How do I tell her we have to return to her village?_ she wondered silently. _And Miroku, too? How can I ask them to return to the origins of their pain and suffering?_

Finally, she sighed. "It was successful," she finally said. "We can talk more about it later. Inuyasha and I need to get something to eat and then we'll reconvene in my quarters."

O.o.O

After a quick meal, they made their way down to Kagome's quarters. It was a tight fit, but Miroku, Sango, and Kagome squeezed onto her bed while Inuyasha and Shippo sat in the chair together.

"So what happened?" Miroku asked.

Kagome exchanged a glance with Inuyasha. Sighing, she began to tell them everything that had happened.

By the time she was done, Miroku and Sango had gone white.

"What?" Sango breathed. "We have to go back?"

Kagome nodded. "Inuyasha thinks the attacks could be connected. I agree with him. We need to investigate and see if anything could still be there."

Miroku shook his head. "That was eleven years ago, Kagome. There's no way anything is left."

Kagome sighed. "We have to try. I'm sorry, but we have to do this. It's the only real lead we have. Something strange is happening, and if Sesshomaru is right, Inuyasha and I meeting is the catalyst."

Miroku and Sango looked at each other, dread evident on their faces.

"Alright," Miroku finally conceded. "If that's our only option…I guess we'll have to."

Sango looked up at Inuyasha. "Did Kagome or Miroku tell you about the attack on my village?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "They respected your privacy."

Sango nodded. "Well, I guess I might as well tell you now since that's where we're heading." She took a deep breath.

"I'm from a small taijiya village," she began. "We dedicated our lives to slaying youkai, which I regret now after meeting Kagome and learning that not all youkai are bad. It's how I was raised, and I resent it. Eleven years ago, a youkai came and attacked my village and killed everyone. My little brother and I were the only survivors so we were able to escape, but Kohaku still didn't make it. He was too injured. He died before I met Miroku."

Inuyasha frowned. "I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely.

Sango waved off his apology. "It was a long time ago. We've all healed from the wounds of our past." She sighed. "I just worry about reopening those wounds. I don't know what's going to happen."

Miroku wrapped his arm around her. "We'll be okay. We have other people now. We're not two lonely kids running around anymore."

Sango smiled at him and nodded. "You're right."

They stayed that way long enough for the others to grow uncomfortable.

"Are you guys gonna kiss?" Shippo asked.

Horrified, Sango shrugged Miroku's arm off her. "Lecher!" she shouted.

Miroku raised his hands in defense. "My apologies." The light blush on his cheeks contradicted his feigned regret.

Sango frowned but didn't say anything else. Instead, she turned to Kagome.

"I think my village is about a week away by ship," she informed her. "We sailed past the general area on our way here. When we get there, we'll have to walk a bit inland to find it. It's pretty secluded."

Kagome nodded. "Miroku, do you know how far yours is?"

Miroku grimaced. "It's nine or ten days from here. It's near the coast, but it's like Sango's village. It's secluded."

Kagome sighed. "We'll start at Sango's village then."

Inuyasha frowned. "Shouldn't we start at the monastery? That was the one that attacked first. Wouldn't it make sense to check that out before the village?"

The captain huffed. "So we sail past one to reach the other then sail all the way back to it? That's ridiculous. We don't have that kind of time to waste."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he replied angrily. "You're the captain." His voice was laced with sarcasm.

Kagome tried to hide the hurt his words inflicted. He was acting so differently from when they were alone.

_This is a stressful situation,_ she reminded herself. _Even I was a little snippy about our new route. We all just need to try and relax._ That gave her an idea.

"You know what," she began. "We should have a music night. I know we had one a few weeks ago, but I don't care. Let's have another."

Despite the somber atmosphere, Miroku and Sango smiled. Even Inuyasha seemed keen on the idea. Shippo jumped off of Inuyasha's lap and into Kagome's arms.

"What's music night?" he asked. Kagome smiled.

"We'll show you."

O.o.O.o.O

Later that night, Inuyasha was pleased to see Kagome grab her cello from under the bed before going up on deck to meet up with everyone. Shippo had gone with Miroku and Sango to pick out an extra instrument. He was eager to learn, especially surrounded by the friendly crew.

As Kagome quickly tuned her cello, she glanced at Inuyasha.

"Hey," she said. "Sorry I was a little rude earlier."

Inuyasha shrugged. "It happens. Me, too."

She nodded and finished tuning the instrument. "You sure you don't want to try one out?" she asked. "You might like a wind instrument. Your claws won't get caught in any strings."

Inuyasha hesitated. "Eh. Maybe another time."

Taking it in stride, Kagome nodded. "Alright, let's head up."

The music night played out much like the first one Inuyasha had seen aside from the occasional squeak of Shippo playing a wrong note on his flute. He was catching on fairly quickly, though.

Then the moment Inuyasha had been waiting for finally came.

Kagome closed the music night with the youkai lullaby. Inuyasha had almost forgotten how soothing her voice was, even a few octaves down to keep her cover as a man.

Later that night, after Shippo and Miroku were asleep, Inuyasha snuck to Kagome's quarters. He felt her aura invite him in.

When he entered, he saw her sitting on her bed with her long hair flowing.

"Hi, there," she greeted.

"Hey," he said nervously. "Um…you sounded nice during the lullaby."

She smiled. "Thanks."

Inuyasha hesitated awkwardly. _Why did I even come here?_ he berated himself. _This was stupid!_

"Is that all?" she asked.

Inuyasha nodded curtly. "Yep."

Kagome eyed him. "You sure?" She patted the bed next to her. "You can come sit down."

Surprising himself, Inuyasha closed the door behind him before walking over and sitting down next to her.

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments before Kagome spoke.

"You know," she began, "I really enjoy singing the lullaby with the crew, but I kind of miss being able to sing it in my normal voice."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Well, if you wanted to right now, that would probably be okay."

Kagome looked at him a moment more before singing the first note.

Inuyasha was entranced in the same way as the first time. As she sang, he leaned back on the pillow and gazed at her. He was too focused to feel embarrassed about it.

When she finished singing, Inuyasha's heart was racing. She looked down at him and smiled.

He really, really didn't want to leave.

As if reading his mind, Kagome leaned back against her pillow. The movement caused her scent to wash over him. "Do you maybe want to just…sleep in here tonight? I mean, you look comfortable and I could sing again and-"

Inuyasha stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Yeah," he said. "I want to."

Kagome smiled and nodded before laying down. Inuyasha rolled onto his side to face her as she began singing the song again.

Inuyasha fell asleep surrounded by her voice.

To be continued…


	7. The New Moon

**Chapter 7: The New Moon**

Kagome stood on the top deck gazing out at the ocean waves. She sighed and leaned on the edge of the ship as her thoughts raced and muddled through her head.

They were on their way to Sango's village, a place Kagome had never seen. She was nervous for Sango's sake; she wasn't entirely sure what they would find there.

Eleven years had passed, so it was unlikely that anything remained, not even the corpses of Sango's fallen comrades.

Closing her eyes, Kagome took a deep breath and tried to think logically. They were on a mission. She would comfort Sango and do whatever it took to make this as bearable for her as possible. Causing her friend pain was the last thing Kagome wanted to do, but at this point, they really didn't have any other choice.

Kagome's mind drifted to a somewhat more pleasant train of thought.

_Inuyasha…_

When Kagome woke up that morning, she had rolled over to find Inuyasha fast asleep next to her. She had gazed at his smooth features and the peace that lingered on his face as he slept. His breathing was steady and calm as he rested comfortably.

" _Yeah, I want to."_

Kagome blushed fiercely as she continued gazing at him. She hadn't really been thinking when she'd invited him to share her bed. Honestly, she was surprised he had said yes.

 _Better than him saying no,_ she reminded herself. _If he had, I probably would have died of embarrassment._

But he had said yes, and he'd once again slept peacefully with her. This time, however, he was still there when Kagome woke up. She'd beat him to consciousness and allowed herself the quiet enjoyment she got from seeing him look so at ease.

She began to feel a new sense of closeness. Nothing had happened between them aside from her singing; they hadn't even touched during the night. And yet there was something so intimate about the way they had so easily shared her bed.

 _Being near him feels so natural,_ she realized. _It feels like I've found a part of myself that's been missing. I want him to stay with me...forever._

When Inuyasha began stirring, Kagome quickly rolled over so as not to be caught staring.

She heard him breathe in deeply before he sat up.

Kagome tried to steady her heartbeat and pretend to be asleep, but she knew he was keen enough to know she was awake.

So she rolled over to face him. "Good morning," she greeted quietly as she looked up at him.

Inuyasha looked down at her and his face softened. "Hey," he replied. There was no embarrassment, no obvious regret, just a natural kind of interaction.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat.

"Thanks for singing last night," he said. "It was nice." Kagome smiled.

"Any time," she replied. "It doesn't just have to be on music nights, though."

Inuyasha chuckled. "Noted," he said as he rose from her bed. "I should get back to Miroku's quarters. Hopefully Shippo isn't awake yet."

Oddly enough, Kagome felt disappointed that he was leaving so soon.

"Okay," she finally conceded as she sat up in her bed and self-consciously tried to smooth her hair a bit. She _knew_ it had to look like a mess. "I'll see you at breakfast."

Inuyasha stretched his arms over his head before heading to the door. He looked back at her for a moment with a thoughtful look on his face. "See you at breakfast," he echoed before leaving.

Once he was gone, Kagome flopped back on her bed. Staring at her ceiling, she found herself smiling like a little girl.

But oddly enough, she didn't care.

Breakfast and lunch had been normal with everyone, including Inuyasha. She got a vibe that he wanted to keep their nights private, so she didn't mention anything about it.

Now, an hour or so after lunch, she was up on the top deck pondering over the situation with Sango and now over Inuyasha.

Eyes opening, Kagome gazed out at the water.

It was safe to say she was attracted to Inuyasha. There was no other way to describe how she felt about him.

 _I feel like a little girl with a crush on an older boy,_ she realized. _Well, technically he_ is _older by a few hundred years, but who's counting?_

She smiled at the thought of waking up with him in her bed. _Is it bad to say that I want it to happen again? And again and again and again…_

Sighing, Kagome tried to tamper her feelings down. She felt weird wishing for that now that she'd admitted her feelings to herself. She didn't want it to seem like she was taking advantage of how comfortable he was with her.

If he wanted to hear her sing and spend the night in her bed because it comforted him and nothing more, she was still all too willing to do that. She wanted him to feel safe and at ease on the ship even if he never felt the same way about her. It was all she'd ever wanted.

Gazing back out at the ocean, she pulled herself out of her thoughts to focus on the mission at hand.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha had taken to his old habit of hiding in Miroku's quarters.

 _Well, maybe hiding isn't the right word,_ he thought to himself. _Pondering, maybe._

There was no embarrassment when he'd woke up that morning next to Kagome. Unlike the first time he'd fallen asleep in her bed, she had woken up before him. He'd sat up to find her smiling at him quietly.

She'd looked so beautiful and peaceful, with her wild hair just a bit more haphazard and her eyes still a little shiny from slumber. Beautiful all the same.

Inuyasha hadn't wanted to leave, but he didn't want Miroku and Shippo to realize he'd been gone the whole night. He needed to get back to Miroku's quarters quickly.

He just didn't realize how hard it would be to leave Kagome. How could he have ever thought he would want to leave the ship after they'd destroyed Naraku? It seemed impossible to him now. He wanted to stay with Kagome.

Forever.

At breakfast and lunch, he'd tried to keep his cool, but something was nagging at him. It was in the way Kagome smiled and laughed and affectionately brushed Shippo's bangs out of his eyes. It was in the kind way she talked to Sango about preparing for the journey to her village.

It was in _everything_ she did. He couldn't shake the feeling.

So he hid.

Inuyasha didn't know how to decipher the thoughts whirling through his mind, so he shut himself in Miroku's quarters and sat on his cot. He was definitely the brooding type, but never over something like this.

As he shifted to lay down on his back, he found that Kagome's scent lingered on his skin. He'd changed his clothes when he'd gotten ready that morning, but his hair still held a faint aroma of her. It was warm and welcoming.

Inuyasha had never been in love before, but the way he was feeling strongly resembled how his mother used to talk about the feelings she had for his father. She'd only mentioned it a couple of times, but her words had been significant enough to leave an impact on him. At first, it seemed too intense, too passionate, and Inuyasha didn't think he would ever be capable of feeling that way for someone.

And yet.

He was starting to fall for Kagome in a very real way. It was startling, but there was no denying that his feelings for her were what was muddling his head.

Inuyasha allowed himself to briefly toy with the idea that Kagome could feel the same way about him. He couldn't tell. She was so kind to everyone...maybe that's all it was.

But sometimes he would catch her looking at him. It would be only for a second, but they were loaded glances that made him have to remind himself to breathe. _That has to mean something, right?_

He sighed and tossed his arm over his eyes. _Now is not the time to be focusing on something as dumb as feelings,_ he scolded himself. _We're in the middle of a mission and it's not like I know that Kagome even feels the same way. If she did, maybe..._

He groaned and sat up. He needed some air.

Inuyasha left Miroku's quarters and headed up to the top deck to try and clear his head.

To his somewhat pleasant surprise, somewhat dread, Kagome was there, obviously deep in thought.

Inuyasha paused. _Should I go up there or just leave her be? Maybe I can get a vibe for what she might be feeling when we're alone and not surrounded by the others..._

"Hey," he greeted as he hopped up on the deck.

Kagome jumped as she snapped her attention to him. "Oh, hey," she replied breathlessly. "You startled me."

Inuyasha grinned. "Seems like I'm finally the one sneaking up on you now, huh?"

Kagome laughed. "I guess so," she replied goodnaturedly.

They were quiet for a moment as they both gazed out at the water.

"So," Inuyasha began, "how's Sango? Has she talked to you much about going to her village?"

Kagome sighed. "Not really," she replied sadly. "She's spent most of her time in her room. I think Miroku's been with her a lot, which makes sense since they spent the initial grieving time together. I wish I could help her, too, though, but I'm just glad Miroku is able to."

The hanyo nodded. "Makes sense," he noted. "It's still hard to believe the lecher could comfort her."

Kagome laughed. "You'd be surprised," she replied. "He loves Sango for more than just her butt. Sango's never explicitly admitted it, but she loves him, too. They just can't get the timing right."

"Keh," he scoffed. "Timing shouldn't stop them if they're both pinin' for each other."

Kagome glanced at him questioningly, and Inuyasha nearly slapped his hand over his mouth. _Hopefully she doesn't focus too much on that,_ he hoped silently. _That would be embarrassing._

Luckily, Kagome didn't comment on it. Instead, she leaned against the edge of the ship. "We just need to make it to the village. It's been over two weeks since I left the note. That's long enough that the news of you being here has most likely spread. We'll probably start being approached by ships any day now."

Inuyasha frowned. "That sucks."

"Maybe you can make your sword transform during battle," Kagome suggested optimistically. "Like Sesshomaru said."

The hanyo was inclined to fight back against _anything_ his brother said, but Kagome did have a point. It would be a real convenience if he could actually _use_ his piece-of-crap sword.

"Maybe," he finally agreed. "I guess we'll find out."

Sure enough, five days into their route to Sango's village, they were attacked.

"Ship approaching from the east!" the helmsman shouted in the late afternoon.

"Everyone prepare!" Kagome shouted. "Miroku, spread the word to the crew down below. Tell everyone to grab their weapons. We don't know who it is, but they most likely know Inuyasha is here."

Miroku nodded. "I'll grab a sword for Inuyasha, too."

"Don't bother," Inuyasha said quickly. "I have my own."

Confused, Miroku frowned. "You can fight with it now?"

Inuyasha, albeit a bit hesitant, nodded. "Kinda," he lied. "Don't worry about it."

 _That thing sure as heck_ better _work._

"Inuyasha, come with me," Kagome instructed as she hurried down to her quarters.

Quietly obliging, Inuyasha followed her.

Kagome made haste in gathering her bow and arrows before slinging a sword around her waist.

"You wait here," she ordered. "Do _not_ come up on deck, got it? We got lucky last time, but I don't want to take any risks."

Inuyasha frowned. "Don't be stupid. I'm gonna fight with you guys. They already know I'm here, don't they? Might as well stay up on deck and help."

Kagome glared at him. " _No_. Please just stay down here."

Inuyasha threw his hands up. "Why? You know I can help! Everyone knows I'm here so hiding is pointless! Why are you being so stubborn?"

Growling, Kagome threw her bow over her shoulder. "Because I don't want to think I've lost you again!" she shouted. "I don't want to feel that fear a second time, so do us all a favor and stay down here until the ship is gone! I'm sending Shippo in here before I go up so you need to watch him. Don't be dumb!"

With that, she left the room before slamming the door behind her.

Inuyasha was stunned, motionless, as her words rang through his head.

 _She's that scared to lose me? Or even_ think _she'll lose me?_

Torn on what to do, Inuyasha finally sat down on Kagome's bed as he waited for Shippo to come.

The kitsune entered a moment later with a frightened look on his face.

"Come here, kid," Inuyasha said when he caught sight of the child. Shippo wasted no time in hopping up on the bed and settling next to him.

 _Fine,_ he resolved. _I'll stay down here with Shippo, but the minute I hear trouble, I'm going up to help._

Twenty minutes later, he heard shouting and the distinct sound of a plank being forced onto the ship. Inuyasha rose from Kagome's bed and opened the door just a crack to listen for any kind of scuffle. Unfamiliar voices started yelling.

"Where is the hanyo?" a male voice shouted. "We know you have him, Higurashi. Hand him over and we'll only do minimal damage to your ship and your crew."

Kagome's voice was slightly muffled by the handkerchief Inuyasha knew she was wearing.

"Find your own hanyo," she yelled back in her thrown voice. "Now get off my ship!"

Inuyasha heard a sword being drawn and a man's battle cry.

The fighting had begun.

"Get under the bed," he told Shippo quietly. The kitsune didn't waste any time in hopping off the bed and hiding under it.

Every bone in Inuyasha's body was screaming at him to go up there and make sure Kagome was alright. If it weren't for Shippo, he'd already be up there fighting and ignoring Kagome's angry plea for him to stay hidden.

"Is Kagome gonna be okay?" Shippo asked meekly from his hiding spot. "I'm scared she's gonna get hurt."

Inuyasha shook his head as he kept his ears trained on the noises from above. "She'll be fine," he replied. "She's strong and brave. She can take care of herself and everyone else, okay?"

Shippo didn't answer. Inuyasha couldn't focus on him right now, though.

The fighting had stopped up above.

What was happening?

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome didn't have time to focus on any form of embarrassment from her shouted admission to Inuyasha. She just needed him to stay below. Losing him now wasn't an option. She just couldn't do it.

They'd gotten lucky; the ship that had attacked them belonged to some lower-level pirates that never stood a chance.

"Get out of here," she shouted as she knelt on the captain's chest, effectively rendering him silent and imobile after a very quick fight. "You're an idiot if you think I'm going to let you capture the prized hanyo. Sail away before I _kill_ you." Kagome didn't like having to put on her fake killer front, but it had to be done.

The captain's eyes shone with fear. "Fine," he wheezed. "We'll leave. Just don't kill us."

Nodding, Kagome stood up as the captain coughed. When he'd caught his breath again, he ordered his crew to retreat. Their feet pounded on the deck as they made their exit.

When they had sailed away, Kagome addressed her crew. "Nice work, men!" she complimented. "We've chased them away." The crew cheered.

Kagome approached Miroku and Sango and smiled. "One ship down, who knows how many more to go." Despite the somber affair, Miroku and Sango smiled back.

"We'll be docking in a few days," she continued. "Then we should be free of attacks until we set sail again for the monastery."

Her most trusted crewmen nodded.

"I'm heading down to check on Shippo and Inuyasha," she announced. "Dinner will be soon so we'll meet you there."

Once she'd made her way down to her quarters, she found a relieved Inuyasha and a terrified Shippo.

The small kitsune jumped out from under the bed and into her arms before he began to cry hysterically.

Kagome gently rubbed his back in a soothing gesture. "It's okay," she comforted after she'd pulled her handkerchief down. "They're gone. Everything is okay." Shippo continued to cry softly against her.

Kagome glanced up at Inuyasha to find his gaze already on her.

"You okay?" the hanyo asked gruffly. Kagome smiled and nodded.

"They were lower-level pirates," she explained. "It was easy to scare them away."

Inuyasha visibly relaxed before nodding back at her.

The captain took on a teasing expression. "Sorry you didn't get to practice with your sword," she said. "It wouldn't have worked anyway. That confrontation can't even be described as a fight."

Inuyasha finally smiled at her. "Bummer."

Laughing, Kagome returned her attention to the kitsune in her arms. "Come on, Shippo. It's almost time for dinner. It might be kinda hard to eat if you're still crying."

Shippo removed his face from her chest and began wiping away his tears. "Okay," he said in a watery voice. "I'll be brave just like you."

Kagome smiled warmly before hugging him close to her. "Let's go up now."

Kagome kept him close as she turned to exit the room again.

A warm hand settled on the small of her back in a comforting gesture. She turned around to see Inuyasha gazing at her with a soft look on his face.

She smiled at him before leading them out of the room.

O.o.O.o.O

Sango was laying in her bed that evening.

It had been a long and eventful day with the attack on the ship. Sango had been distracted by their looming destination during the fight, so one of the opposing crewmen had managed to get a solid hit on her. She could feel the bruises starting to form on her ribs as she went about the rest of her evening, but she kept it under wraps in front of the others.

She'd skipped dinner, feigning fatigue, so she could retire to her quarters early. It wasn't until she'd laid down that the pain really started to manifest. The emotional turmoil she'd been facing during the journey toward her home village along with the pain in her body became too much.

She didn't do it often, but in that moment, she couldn't help it.

She cried.

Tears silently slid down her cheeks. Sango prided herself on her strength and resilience, but she had reached a new low. She hadn't felt this miserable since before she'd met Miroku. She'd been a fourteen-year-old terrified of being dreadfully lonely in the world after her little brother had died.

If she hadn't met Miroku when she did, she had no idea what might have become of her.

In a way, Miroku had helped her live again. Sango had saved her own life with her own strength, but Miroku was always there to support her, just as she was always there to support him. The only difference was that she didn't constantly ask him to father her children.

Sango sighed and closed her eyes. She would never admit it, but she _did_ love him just as much as she knew he loved her. If he wouldn't flirt with other women or constantly ask her to bear his children, maybe she would be willing to tell him, but given his history with women, she couldn't see that happening any time soon.

A quiet knock at the door had her opening her eyes and wiping away all traces of her tears. "Come in," she called, not bothering to sit up.

"Hey," Miroku greeted as he entered and closed the door behind him.

Sango smiled weakly. "Hey," she echoed.

"You alright?" Miroku asked. "You've seemed off since the fight."

Sango considered lying about her injury, but it was too painful to hide.

"One of the opposing crewmen got in a good hit," she admitted. "I've got some bruising on my ribs."

Miroku came and sat down at the foot of her bed. Sango noticed that he was carrying a plate of food. "I brought you dinner in case you get hungry later."

Sango had to stifle tears again. _I love him…_

"Thanks," was all she said. "I really appreciate it. Can you just set it on my desk?"

Miroku stood up and set it on her small desk before returning to the foot of her bed.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" he asked.

Sango sighed. "Yeah," she admitted.

"Want me to take a look?" Miroku asked.

Frowning, Sango shook her head. "No way, lecher. Keep your hands off."

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Not like that. You could have a broken rib if it's that painful. I won't let my hands wander no matter how tempted I might be."

Hesitating, Sango finally conceded and lifted her shirt up just enough to expose the bruising. She winced as Miroku's hands ghosted over her ribs and gently pressed to check for any breaks.

"It doesn't feel like any of them are broken," he assessed. "Just really bruised. Do you want some pain relieving herbs? I can go grab you some."

_The pain distracts me from where we're going…I need to focus on something other than the memories that are starting to haunt me again._

"No," she finally replied. "I'll be fine."

Miroku pulled her shirt back down and sighed. "We'll be at your village in a few days. Are you doing okay?"

Sango felt the burn of tears, but she quickly kept them at bay. "I don't know," she admitted. "It's been eleven years for both of us. It'll be weird seeing it again in more…I don't know, _mature_ eyes."

Her gaze drifted to Miroku's grimace, and Sango could practically _feel_ the pain on his face.

Finally, he sighed and stood up. "Well, you probably want to rest up," he said. "I'll leave you be for a while."

Sango's eyes narrowed. "No lecherous offers?"

With a small smile, Miroku shook his head. "I'll make an exception today."

Before he could reach the door, Sango stopped him.

"Wait," she said quickly. Miroku paused and turned to look back at her.

Blushing, Sango looked away from him. "It wouldn't be lecherous if I _asked_ you to stay, so…"

The monk's eyes widened, but he soon smiled at her. "Okay, but no funny business," he teased.

Laughing, Sango rolled her eyes as he came back to her bed and laid down beside her. Sango rolled over carefully, wincing at the pain, to face Miroku.

"Thanks," she murmured. Daring to move closer, she shifted just enough to touch her head against Miroku's shoulder.

Miroku's hand brushed over her head as he gently smoothed her hair back. "Always."

O.o.O.o.O

In the days following the confrontation with the other pirate ship, tensions began to rise.

There was silence throughout the ship. People only talked if they needed to, and Inuyasha was almost expecting Kagome to announce another music night to relieve the somber melancholy that had settled over the whole crew.

One look at her made him realize she was just as tense and troubled as the others. He didn't see a music night in the near future.

The evening before they were set to dock, they made a plan for how they would approach the village.

Shippo made it very well-known that he didn't like it.

"Why do I have to stay behind again?" Shippo wailed. "I want to go, too!"

Kagome tried to soothe him by pulling him close. They were all in her quarters explaining to Shippo that it would just be the four adults going to Sango's village, so everyone was in rather low spirits.

Inuyasha himself had been feeling edgy the whole day. His ears had been ringing and he felt a headache coming on.

 _What's wrong with me?_ he wondered. _Am I that stressed about the mission?_

"It's probably going to be dangerous, Shippo," Kagome said gently. "We need to make sure you're safe."

Shippo sniffled but didn't argue. Inuyasha knew he understood, but that the kitsune sure as heck didn't like it.

"Don't worry, Shippo," Sango soothed. "We'll be back in a few days. There's no need to worry about anything."

As Miroku and Kagome continued to try and calm him down, Inuyasha began to feel his headache worsen. That's when he realized.

It was the night of the new moon.

His eyes widened as he glanced out Kagome's porthole. There was still a good amount of light shining into the water, but he could tell night was coming soon.

He tried to discreetly get Kagome's attention without the others noticing. When she finally caught his eye and noticed his troubled expression, she got the message. He wasn't sure if she even realized what that night was, but she was shrewd enough to know something was wrong with him.

Kagome wrapped Shippo in a final hug before gently passing him to Miroku. "Why don't you go ask the chef for a snack? Maybe you could even bake cookies with him."

Inuyasha saw Kagome glance at Miroku and Sango. Confused by her words but catching on, they smiled at Shippo.

"That's a great idea," Sango chirped. "If the chef can't, we can help you."

Kagome smiled gratefully at them before they left the room.

After they had closed the door behind them, Kagome turned to Inuyasha.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern lacing her voice. "You've seemed a little off all day. Is there something bothering you?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Tonight is the new moon."

Realizing the significance, Kagome's eyes widened. "Okay," she replied, obviously remembering their conversation about Inuyasha's human night. "What do you need?"

The hanyo shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "I just…I don't want the others to know about it." He paused. "Not that I don't trust them, but…you know."

Kagome nodded. "Youkai-to-youkai."

Inuyasha finally smiled. "Youkai-to-youkai…Shippo is a little young, though. I don't want him knowing either."

Understanding his thinking, Kagome nodded again and stood up to leave the room.

"I'll go talk to Miroku and Sango," she said. "Be right back."

Kagome found Miroku, Sango, and Shippo in the kitchen attempting to bake cookies.

"Hey," Kagome greeted as she walked in. The others greeted her as she came to join them.

"We're baking sugar cookies!" Shippo announced. Kagome smiled.

"That's great!" she replied. She came over to Sango's side and gently touched her arm before motioning her to follow.

When they were out of Shippo and Miroku's earshot, Kagome spoke.

"Inuyasha and I have some stuff we need to talk about," Kagome whispered. "Do you think you could make sure Shippo stays with you guys for the rest of the night? It's important and it would be best if we weren't interrupted."

Sango nodded, but the curiosity was evident on her face. "That's interesting," she replied coolly before smiling knowingly. "Does this have to do with the fact that Inuyasha slept in your room the other night?"

The captain's jaw dropped as her cheeks reddened. "How did you know about that?" she hissed.

To Kagome's surprise, Sango laughed. "You don't think Miroku noticed Inuyasha was missing the whole night? Shippo didn't, but Miroku sure did. If Inuyasha wasn't there and he wasn't with me, there's only one other place he could have been..."

Kagome groaned. "Okay, fine," she finally admitted. "He slept in my room with me. But nothing happened!"

Smiling, Sango shook her head. "Sure, sure," she replied. "I understand that you guys want alone time. Don't worry. I'll keep them out."

Blushing but taking advantage of the excuse, Kagome finally nodded. "Thanks," she said. "I… _we_ appreciate it."

Kagome was still blushing when she returned to her quarters. She was so distracted by her embarrassment that she didn't notice the sky had darkened and a certain aura had lost its youkai half.

When she opened the door to her quarters, she saw a black-haired man sitting on her bed.

Eyes widening, she openly gawked.

"Inuyasha?" she said quietly.

Fidgeting uncomfortably, the brown-eyed man on the bed nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm human now."

Taking it in stride, Kagome closed the door behind her as she entered the room.

She went about her usual routine as a way to hopefully put them both at ease. She knew how uncomfortable Inuyasha must have been without his youkai powers, so she was trying to be as accommodating as possible.

Kagome took off her hat and pulled the pin out of her hair. She grabbed a comb from her desk before raking it through her crazy locks.

Inuyasha just sat on her bed quietly.

"So how did you get the others to stay away?" he finally asked. Kagome silently noted that his voice sounded much less gruff than usual. It was smoother and calmer. The difference was deafening.

Kagome blushed and purposefully avoided his gaze. "Uh, just that we wanted to talk about some stuff."

Inuyasha hummed. "That's good."

"I'm going to get ready for bed," Kagome announced as she grabbed her night clothes and walked to the head.

Inuyasha was still seated on the edge of her bed when she came back out.

He looked at her awkwardly. "I guess I should have asked if I could stay in here again...I wasn't really thinking."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Kagome replied, waving off his embarrassment. "I thought it was a given anyway."

Inuyasha nodded, but he seemed edgy and uncomfortable, which Kagome understood, but there still seemed to be something extra dampening his mood.

Kagome sat down on her bed. "You can get more comfortable if you want," she offered as she noted his rigid stature.

Black hair swished as Inuyasha shook his head. "No, thanks," he replied. "Don't need to. I never sleep on my human night."

Nodding, Kagome didn't push the subject. "You could still get more comfortable," she insisted as she got under the covers. "That doesn't mean you have to sleep. It just means you won't get a crick in your human neck."

That elicited a smile from Inuyasha. He finally kicked off his shoes and scooted up to his side of the bed.

Kagome scolded herself. _His side? What's wrong with you? Don't think stuff like that or you'll never stop blushing!_

"Better?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. Inuyasha leaned against the pillow and nodded.

They fell into a silence, but Kagome couldn't tell if it was comfortable or not. There was something lingering between them, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

"You should go to sleep," he said, breaking the silence. "Good night." With that, he rolled over so his back was to her. Kagome was caught off-guard by his sudden standoffish demeanor.

Racking her brain for how she could help ease his mind, she decided to do her go-to. She laid down on her back and settled against her pillow before discreetly clearing her throat.

She began to sing the youkai lullaby softly, knowing it would have a calming effect on him. _Maybe it'll even help him fall asleep like it usually does._

It did the opposite.

Kagome only made it to the second line of the lullaby before Inuyasha's sudden movement cut her off.

In an instant, he rolled over and towered above her.

One minute, brown eyes were staring down at her, and the next, human lips were dropping to hers.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha knew he was in trouble as soon as he turned human while alone in Kagome's quarters.

When he was human, all of his emotions intensified.

And that included his newfound feelings for Kagome.

The woman was racing through his mind at warp speed. Blue eyes reflected in his head as he pictured her long, messy hair and thick, beautiful lips-

"Gah!" he shouted to himself. "Shut up!"

He took in a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. He hadn't been thinking. He should have just hidden while he was human instead of trapping himself in here. Now he couldn't leave. He would be stuck with Kagome _all night_.

He hated the part of him that felt electrified at the thought.

It took all he had to keep his cool after she'd returned. When he'd finally convinced her to go to sleep, he took a quiet breath and glared at the wall. He kept his back to Kagome as he willed her to hurry up and go to sleep.

Kagome flooded his thoughts. The memory of how she felt in his arms, the gentleness of her smile, the scent of her. In her bed like this, her pleasant aroma assaulted his human nose.

His body ached to touch her, to hold her close again. He was horrifically embarrassed.

And then, to make matters worse, she started singing the lullaby.

The sound of her soft, pleasant voice ignited a fire in his human heart. She broke his walls down and healed him. She unsettled him, yet soothed him. He couldn't stifle it anymore, and the song only made it worse. It became impossible to resist her.

Rolling over to kiss her was like an instant relief. He wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him. He reveled in the feel of her lips on his, but her hesitation didn't go unnoticed.

It was what made him pull away.

With a gasp, he tore himself away from her and jumped off the bed.

Kagome was staring at him in shock.

It was a silent, horrified staredown.

If he weren't worried about exposing his human night, he would have run from the room.

Inuyasha cursed. "Kagome, I'm sorry," he began. "I'm human and my feelings get jumbled and intensified and sometimes I just-"

"Be quiet," Kagome said, her voice soft but firm. Inuyasha silenced himself as his shock increased.

Kagome didn't take her eyes off of him as she crawled across the bed until she was on the other side. She rose from the bed to stand right in from him. Her blue eyes peered up at him, a brilliant intensity reflecting in them.

Inuyasha was desperate to touch her, but he kept his hands at his side as he watched Kagome staring up at him.

She finally moved. It started with her hands slowly settling on his arms before sliding up to his shoulders. Her eyes never left his as her fingers drifted to his neck to curl around the back of it.

He broke with the first downward tug of her hands.

Inuyasha leaned down again, this time having his kiss fully reciprocated.

Kagome's hands moved to tangle in his hair as she bade him to kiss her deeper. He was all too willing to oblige.

She tasted better than he could have ever imagined; her lips were soft and guarded the beautiful cavern of her mouth.

He wrapped his arms around her and splayed his hands on her back. He nearly covered the entirety of it, and her small stature only made her more dear to him. Knowing her youkai strength, he wasn't worried about squeezing too hard.

Her scent overwhelmed him, her taste dizzied him, and the simple presence of _Kagome_ nearly made him explode.

Inuyasha almost didn't realize what he was doing as he adjusted his grip on her to lift her up and closer against him. He also almost didn't realize what he was doing when he settled her back on the bed. He hovered above her before giving in.

He never broke the kiss as he tightened his arms around her back and pulled her close to him. She wrapped her arms all the way around his neck and pulled him down to fully mold her body to his.

Inuyasha's heart was racing, nearly bursting from his chest, as Kagome kissed him just as enthusiastically as he kissed her.

It was intense, passionate, and Inuyasha knew he could go on kissing her like this and never grow tired of it.

All he cared about was showing her just how beautiful she was, how much he wanted her, how much he lo-

Inuyasha pulled away again, frightened to finish that thought. He was breathless...he'd never kissed a woman in his human form. He'd never known that it took so much air to kiss.

When they parted, he lifted himself slightly to hover over her. Kagome's eyes drifted open to gaze up at him.

"Lay down with me again," she said softly.

All Inuyasha could do was nod.

Inuyasha gently moved to lay next to her before he tugged her to lay against his side. He kissed her softly a final time before gently pulling her head to rest on his chest.

He deeply inhaled the scent of her hair as his arms tightened around her small frame. She sighed happily as she ran her hand gently up and down his chest.

"Don't let me go tonight," she murmured sleepily.

Inuyasha nuzzled against her hair. "I won't," he murmured back.

It was like a dream. A beautiful, amazing, human dream.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. _Human._

As he felt her drift to sleep, it suddenly became hard for him to breathe. _I just kissed her...and she kissed me back..._

He cursed his human night. It was a ridiculously stupid idea to kiss her. This was the _last_ thing he should have done. But he was a human...and he had feelings for her...and she was so beautiful…

_This is a mess...but I don't care._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome woke up with warm arms around her. She smiled before she opened her eyes as Inuyasha's kisses swarmed through her mind. _I can't believe it really happened. He_ must _feel the same way about me. There's no other way to explain why he would have done that last night._

She allowed herself to indulge the idea for a moment until the warm arms around her tensed.

The smile fell from her face. Inuyasha must have realized that she was awake; she could feel the panic radiating from him. It polluted his usual aura, which had regained its youkai power when the sun had risen.

Uncertain, she gently detangled herself from his arms so she could sit up. His face softened when she looked down at him.

"Good morning," she greeted quietly. Inuyasha didn't answer; his now golden eyes just peered at her with a nervous expression on his face.

_Oh, no. He regrets it._

The shocking realization hit her like cold water.

"Kagome, listen," he began. "About last night…"

Kagome looked away from him. "You acted without thinking, right? You were human...and I'm a woman. We were in the same bed. I was there. It makes sense. That's why it happened."

Inuyasha quickly sat up and gently turned her face to look at him.

"No," he replied firmly. "That's not why." Kagome didn't allow herself to hope he could feel the same way about her. She wouldn't make that mistake again

"Regardless," she insisted, "it shouldn't have happened. It was a mistake."

It took all her energy to keep from crying. _Get it together. You don't cry over boys._ She deflated at the realization that there had never been a boy for her to cry over. That just made it worse. The kiss they'd shared seemed to transcend just human or just youkai. It was otherworldly, enthralling, _earth-shattering_.

But not to him.

Kagome had never felt like this for a man. She didn't know how to read Inuyasha, or any male in general. She just didn't know how to interpret his actions, but it seemed like his hesitance and tense demeanor pointed to negativity.

"Let's just forget about it," she said as she got up and grabbed clean clothes from her dresser. "You should go get ready. We have a long day ahead." Without another look at him, she walked into the head and closed the door. She ignored his call of her name from the room.

She waited until she heard him heave a heavy sigh and leave the room, closing the door behind him.

Kagome looked into the mirror and frowned at herself. "Just focus on the matter at hand," she said out loud to her reflection. "Get answers, destroy Naraku, and make it out alive. _Focus_."

It was easier said than done.

O.o.O.o.O

Cold. Numb. Shocked.

Those were the only words running through Inuyasha's mind as he left Kagome's quarters.

He could see the hurt in her eyes. At the sight of her waking up in his arms, he made up his mind. He wanted to be with her and he wanted her to know that. They would have to wait until they had destroyed Naraku, but he didn't care. He _wanted_ her to know how he felt. He was almost certain she felt the same, but he needed to find out.

Inuyasha was nervous, no, _terrified_ to tell her. He was completely new to this. Every other woman before her had been simple; a woman's touch to try and feel whole, but to no avail.

Kagome was different. His feelings for her were real and he wanted her to know, but it was obvious that she'd interpreted his nervousness as regret.

So he let her take it and roll with it.

He thought she'd felt the same about him after the passion of their kisses, but he was starting to think she might have just been caught-up in the moment.

" _Regardless, it shouldn't have happened. It was a mistake."_

That hurt. But if that's what she wanted, and if that's how she really felt, he wasn't going to push it on her.

He had gotten his answer. She didn't feel the same.

Inuyasha silently entered Miroku's quarters to get ready for the day. Miroku was running a comb through his hair when the hanyo opened the door.

Curiosity shone on Miroku's features, but Inuyasha's glare forced him into silence.

 _Get it together,_ he scolded himself. _You're fine. Get over it. So you kissed a girl and she regretted it. Move on._

He knew it wasn't that easy.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome had pulled herself together by the time she made it to breakfast. _It never happened, it never happened, it never happened…_

She kept the mantra running through her head.

Sango, smart as ever, could obviously tell something was wrong, but she didn't pester. Maybe Kagome would tell her...but not for a while. They were going to Sango's village today. That was the priority.

Inuyasha was quiet at breakfast; he mostly just stared at his food while the others quietly discussed their route for their trek to Sango's village.

Kagome avoided any and all interactions with Inuyasha.

She would get over it at some point and get back to normal, but right now, it was a little too much.

Captain Kagome Higurashi was a strong woman, but even she needed some time to mull over this.

Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha departed from the ship after breakfast. Shippo saw them off with a tearful goodbye.

The small group made their way across the dock until they found a place suitable enough for Kagome and Sango to change out of their male covers.

When they donned dresses with their hair flowing free, Kagome felt Inuyasha's eyes on her.

Daring a glance at him, she saw a pang of sadness in his eyes.

She frowned, uncertain why he would be feeling _sad_ about what had happened. He got what he wanted; nothing was going to happen between them.

"Let's go," she finally said, tearing her attention from him. "Sango, can you lead the way?"

Nodding, Sango quietly took the front of the group and began leading them down a nearby dirt road.

"It'll take us a day or so to get there," she announced. "We'll have to make camp at some point tonight." They'd brought enough supplies for several days, so the group would be fine.

It was a quiet day of walking and pausing just for meals and, as Miroku immaturely and jokingly called them, _potty_ breaks.

When it started getting dark, Kagome caught up with Sango at the front of the group and put her arm around her shoulders.

"You doing alright?" she asked quietly. Sango nodded and half-smiled at her.

"I have another night to really prepare myself," she admitted. "I'm trying to not focus too much on it until tomorrow."

Kagome nodded and gave her shoulders a quick squeeze before letting go. "Do you want to make camp soon? I think we're coming up on a hot springs." Kagome could sense the heated pools of water a little ways up the road; she figured that might lift Sango's spirits a little.

Sure enough, Sango brightened. "Yes," she replied excitedly. "We can take a bath." She sighed happily. "A _warm_ bath."

Kagome laughed before turning around to address Miroku and Inuyasha behind them.

"There's a hot springs up ahead," she informed them. Inuyasha didn't look surprised, so Kagome figured he'd already sniffed it out. "We'll make camp near there."

Silent nods answered her as the group fell back into silence.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome and Sango sighed happily as they slipped into the warm water.

Kagome quickly went under to wet her hair and relish in the feel of the water rushing around her.

"You can transform if you want," Sango offered. "If you don't sense any strangers, I think it should be okay."

Kagome brightened and quickly tried to scope out if there were any unknown auras nearby.

When she didn't pick up on any, she grinned and ducked under the water again.

Her skin prickled and stretched as she felt the transformation occur. When her tail had appeared and she felt the scratch of scales on her arms, she came back up above the surface.

"Ahh," she sighed. "That feels so good."

Sango smiled. "I always forget what it looks like," she admitted. "I don't see you in this form often. I'm always surprised by how pretty you are."

Kagome grinned. "Thanks," she replied. "I feel like I just stretched after sitting for too long." She flicked her tail lightly to splash Sango.

Sango laughed and shook her head. "I'm glad we can still laugh and have nice moments after so much suffering."

Nodding, Kagome felt her smile fade slightly as she leaned back against a rock. "Yeah," she agreed. "Misfits taking on the world together, one smile at a time."

Sango laughed again but soon turned serious as well.

"Can I ask you something?" Sango asked.

Bracing herself, Kagome nodded.

Sango paused, as if uncertain of how to go about asking. "Um, did something happen with you and Inuyasha?" she asked. "You guys have seemed…off today."

Blushing fiercely at the memory of Inuyasha's kisses, Kagome frowned. "Kind of," she admitted. "I…misunderstood something he did, and I'm kinda embarrassed about it. I think he's embarrassed, too."

Confused, Sango eyed her. "How did you misunderstand something he did?" she asked. "What could he have possibly done? Hit you? Kiss you?"

Kagome froze.

Sango gasped. "Inuyasha _kissed_ you?" she shrieked.

" _Shhh!"_ Kagome hissed. "Do you want him to hear you?"

"I can't believe it!" Sango continued, only lowering her voice slightly. "It was obvious that something has been brewing between you guys for a while, which is why I was all for keeping Shippo out last night, but I didn't think Inuyasha would actually do anything!"

That got Kagome's attention.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked. "Something was 'brewing?'"

Sango shrugged. "Well, yeah," she replied matter-of-factly. "You should see the way he looks at you sometimes and how he blushes when you smile at him. You do the same thing."

Not daring to believe it, Kagome shook her head and chose to ignore what Sango had said about her. "You misread him."

"Okay, so what exactly happened?" Sango asked. "Why do you think he regrets it?"

Sighing, Kagome gave her a brief reenactment of the kiss. She left out the human aspect and just focused on the interaction between herself and Inuyasha that morning.

"Yikes," Sango said when Kagome had finished explaining. "That's rough."

 _Don't have to tell me twice,_ Kagome thought to herself.

"That seems really weird, though," Sango observed. "He's been watching you like a lost little puppy today. He's really living up to his _inu_ half. Did he say why he has regrets?"

Kagome thought for a moment. "Well, not really," she admitted. "He didn't say much of anything. But I could tell! It was written all over his face."

Sango rolled her eyes. "Come on, Kagome," she chided. "You're jumping to a big conclusion based on his _face_."

Kagome threw her hands up in the air. "What was I supposed to do?" she asked. "I was embarrassed and, honestly, a little disappointed because I _wanted_ him to kiss me. I didn't want him to regret it, but he did."

Sango didn't seem convinced. "Alright," she finally conceded. "I still think you should ask him about it. Something isn't adding up here."

Kagome leaned back in the water and ran her hands up and down her tail.

"We have bigger things to worry about," Kagome said. "So…we can't focus on that. Please don't tell Miroku. You know how he gets."

Sango nodded solemnly. "I promise," she replied sincerely. "But a little drama is a nice distraction. I'm sorry it's kind of a mess though."

Kagome waved off her apology. "It's alright," she said. "I'll get over it. Anyway, we should probably make a game plan for what we're going to do when we get to the village."

Sango nodded. "Good idea. We can fill in Miroku and Inuyasha on what we think would be the best course of action."

Relief washed over Kagome as the topic changed.

But the little twinge of disappointment remained.

O.o.O.o.O

Miroku crept quietly through the trees.

Kagome and Sango had left for the hot springs about ten minutes earlier, so he figured now was as good a time as ever to try and sneak a peek.

Not so much at Kagome, but hey, he would take what he could get.

Miroku figured Inuyasha would get suspicious about where he was going, but the hanyo seemed too lost in thought to question him.

The monk almost asked if he was okay, given how weird Inuyasha had been acting all day. For that matter, Kagome had been acting weird, too. Something strange was going on.

Maybe Miroku would ask him about it.

But he had another priority to take care of first.

Miroku kept his feet silent as he walked through the forest and toward the voices of Sango and Kagome. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but he knew he was getting closer. He didn't know how to suppress his aura, so he hoped Kagome would be too distracted with Sango to sense him nearby.

Once he'd gotten close enough, he started to try and find the best line of sight.

Sango's voice made him pause.

"Inuyasha _kissed_ you?"

Miroku's eyes widened. _Whoa,_ he thought to himself. _Sounds like some real gossipy girl talk._

Kagome sounded embarrassed about the whole thing, but it all started making sense to Miroku. It explained why Kagome and Inuyasha had been acting so weird that day.

He eavesdropped on the rest of their conversation until Kagome changed the topic.

Miroku wasn't sure what to think. _I should punch Inuyasha for making Kagome feel like this,_ he growled internally. _He kissed her and then acted like he regretted it? Who does that?_

Sango had a good point, though. If anything, Miroku had been under the impression something had already happened between Kagome and Inuyasha. He almost thought they were together or at least close to it given how many times he'd caught them sneaking glances at each other.

But this was unexpected. Something wasn't adding up about Inuyasha's supposed regret, and Miroku was going to get to the bottom of it.

He hurried back to camp to find Inuyasha still lost in thought. The hanyo was laying on his back with his hands under his head. He was staring up at the sky with a look on his face that practically screamed _angst._

"I'm back," Miroku announced. Inuyasha barely glanced at him.

"Hey," the hanyo greeted.

Miroku took a seat near the hanyo. "So," he began, "got anything you wanna talk about?"

Inuyasha's attention snapped to him. "No," he replied with a frown. "Why are you asking me that?"

 _He sure is defensive,_ Miroku noted.

Miroku shrugged. "You've just seemed a little weird today," he explained. "I just wanted to see if something was bothering you."

Inuyasha paused, the conflicted look on his face never faltering. "Yeah," he said curtly. "But, um, Kagome…is she okay?"

Eyes widening in surprise, Miroku was taken aback. "I think so," he replied, not willing to risk Kagome's privacy. "Why? Did something happen?"

The hanyo looked away. "I was just wondering," he grumbled. "I'm gonna go see if I can catch something for us to eat."

With that, he got up and headed into the nearby forest.

Sango and Kagome returned before he did.

Kagome was the first to notice he was gone.

"Where's Inuyasha?" she asked.

"He went to go catch something to eat," Miroku replied. He saw Kagome and Sango exchange a glance before they finally sat down.

In the end, Miroku decided to not mention his knowledge of their conversation in the hot springs. That would only complicate things, and at this point, it seemed like they were already weird enough.

He put the issue out of his head and focused on the task at hand.

 _Tomorrow will be tough,_ Miroku mused. _We can only hope we find something...I don't know what I would do if these trips were wasted._

They were all rather quiet for the rest of the night.

To be continued...


	8. The Taijiya Village

**Chapter 8: The Taijiya Village**

Kagome's mind no longer fixated on what happened between her and Inuyasha. Instead, she was totally focused on their goal for the day.

They'd spent a restless night camped out before rising with the sun. The group was much more somber than the previous day; the closer they got to Sango's village, the tenser they all became.

They decided to forgo lunch in favor of reaching the village quicker. No one was all that hungry anyway.

The village came into view in the early evening.

Sango gasped quietly as they came across a large wooden wall. It was broken in places, but had obviously once been used as a safety precaution when the village was active.

Kagome set a comforting hand on the ex-taijiya's shoulder when she paused in front of the entrance to the village.

"It's been so long," Sango murmured. "I had forgotten…"

Kagome glanced back at Miroku and waved for him to come to Sango's other side.

"We're all here, Sango," Miroku comforted. "You're not alone in this."

Nodding, Sango took a deep breath and led them into the village.

Kagome looked around at the dilapidated homes and old items strewn down the pathway. Everything was in shambles.

They made their way through the village, uncertain of what they were looking for but keeping their eyes peeled regardless.

Sango paused in front of a medium-sized home with some of the worst destruction.

"That's where I lived," she divulged quietly. "Me, my dad, Kohaku…I wonder if there's anything left in there."

Kagome motioned for Inuyasha and Miroku to stay back while Sango entered the house. This seemed like a moment Sango needed to have by herself.

When they heard quiet sobs coming from inside a few moments later, they all exchanged concerned glances.

Miroku stepped forward. "I'll talk to her," he announced. "Give me a minute."

Kagome nodded before Miroku disappeared into the house.

The captain sighed sadly. "This looks terrible," she murmured to Inuyasha. "There _has_ to be something here. I don't want this to have been a pointless journey that just upsets Sango."

Inuyasha looked around the village. "Maybe we should take a look around while they're inside," he suggested. "I have a feeling it'll take Sango a little while to get it together."

Nodding in agreement, Kagome resumed walking through the village. For now, she was going to put aside everything she was feeling about Inuyasha. They needed to keep their senses open. They were youkai; their heightened senses were key players in their search. No distractions.

As they continued walking, it seemed like destroyed homes were all that was left.

"I don't smell anything other than old dirt," Inuyasha said. "You?"

Kagome frowned. "Me neither," she replied. "I don't sense anything either…it's obvious that this town was wrecked by a youkai, but I don't see a trace of anything. There isn't even a footprint."

Inuyasha looked around. "It's been eleven years," he reminded her. "Were we really expecting much to begin with?"

The captain refused to believe that there was nothing in the village. "There has to be something. We can't brush this off. Let's just keep looking."

_Don't give up...we_ can't _give up._

O.o.O.o.O

Miroku had been clutching Sango tightly in his arms for what felt like forever.

He'd never seen her look so brokenhearted. She seemed even more miserable now than she had when Miroku met her.

"It's going to be okay," Miroku murmured into her hair. "I'm here, Sango. I'm here."

Sango nodded against his chest before pulling back to wipe her face.

"I'm sorry," she said as she pulled herself together. "It's just…I wasn't expecting to see any of this." She referred to the room around them.

There were articles of clothing haphazardly tossed around the room. There were a few old kimonos as well as some men's shirts.

Miroku knew that those things weren't what were bothering Sango the most.

There was a portrait on the floor. It was covered in dust and dirt, but Miroku was able to make out the painted figures of a young Sango and two other people, whom Miroku assumed were her father and little brother.

"We can take it with us," Miroku offered. Sango nodded.

"Yes, I would like that," she replied. "I knew it would be hard to come back, but I didn't think it would hurt like this."

Miroku let go of her to gently pick up the portrait off the floor. He carefully brushed off a good bit of the dust and dirt before rolling it up. "We can leave it here for now. We just need to remember to grab it before we leave."

Sango smiled sadly. "I'll remember."

Miroku reached out his hand to help her up. When they were both righted, Sango smiled up at him. "Thank you, Miroku. If it weren't for you…I don't know what I would do."

Reaching up to gently cup her cheek, Miroku nodded. "I feel the same way about you."

To Miroku's surprise, Sango reached out her arms to hug him tightly for a moment. Miroku fervently wrapped his arms around her to hold her close.

When they let go, Sango seemed a bit more relaxed. "Let's go back to Inuyasha and Kagome," she suggested.

Inuyasha and Kagome weren't outside the house where Miroku and Sango had left them.

"Where did they go?" Sango asked.

Miroku flared his aura. "They're probably just looking around," he suggested. After a moment, Kagome and Inuyasha's auras bounced off of his own. "I found them. Let's go."

Miroku led Sango in the direction of Kagome and Inuyasha. When they regrouped, the captain and the hanyo wore matching expressions of displeasure.

Kagome noticed them first. "Hey," she greeted. "You alright, Sango?" Sango nodded.

"I'm fine now," she assured her. "Did you all find anything?"

Frowning, Kagome shook her head. "No. We found a shed full of old youkai parts, but that's to be expected in a taijiya village."

Sango winced. "I'm sorry," she said. "That must have been hard for you two to see."

"Don't worry about it," Inuyasha replied awkwardly. "We're grown-ups. A few bones won't get us down."

"We don't sense anything else here, though," Kagome added, her tone leaking frustration. "I can't believe we couldn't find anything useful. No youkai footprints, no remnants, _nothing_."

Kagome suddenly froze.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Inuyasha asked immediately.

The captain closed her eyes. "I feel something," she said slowly. "It's like...something is calling me. I don't know what, but...it feels familiar."

Miroku exchanged a concerned glance with Sango.

"A youkai?" Sango asked.

Kagome's eyes opened as she shook her head. "No, but...I don't know. We need to follow it."

Without waiting for a response from the others, Kagome began walking in the direction from which they'd come to exit the village.

Inuyasha followed her immediately, but Miroku was a bit hesitant. He could tell Sango was as well, but she didn't comment.

"I need to grab the things from my house," she reminded him. Nodding, he followed her back to the wrecked house before continuing after Inuyasha and Kagome.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome's miko power was in absolute disarray.

Her body felt like it was buzzing, as if there were lightning crashing under her skin. It was intense and overwhelming; every step she took practically drained her.

But she kept going.

The others followed her quietly, but she barely noticed. The only thing she was focused on was following the prickle on her senses. By the time they'd completely exited the village, it had become much more than a prickle.

She quickly realized that it wasn't some _thing_ that was calling out to her; it was some _one_.

It eventually led the group to a small array of large rocks. As they got closer, a small cave appeared.

That was the source.

"It's coming from there," Kagome announced as she led them closer. "There's someone calling for me."

"Someone?" Miroku repeated. "A person?"

Kagome shook her head. "No...yes? I don't know. It's someone, but I don't know if it's an actual person. I can't explain it." She didn't bother to wait for the rest of the questions she knew they all had.

The internal call had gotten louder. It didn't calm until Kagome had reached the entrance of the cave.

"This is it," Kagome said. "Let's go."

To everyone's shared surprise, a barrier appeared at the mouth of the cave.

They didn't notice until Inuyasha and Kagome had entered and the others had been left outside.

"What just happened?" Inuyasha wondered aloud.

Kagome looked around. "Only you and I are able to enter," she observed. "It must be the work of whatever is calling for me." She looked at Miroku and Sango through the barrier. "We'll let you know what we find, okay?"

At the others' affirmative nod, Kagome led Inuyasha through the barrier.

It was dark and chilly in the cave as they walked through. Kagome could feel something pulling her closer.

"I feel something," Inuyasha said suddenly. "Someone's calling me, too."

Kagome looked at him as they continued walking. "I wonder who," she mused.

They soon came upon a grotto in which they found a statue of a woman in the jaws of a large youkai. Her face was calm, serene, as if she had no fear of death.

"What is that?" Inuyasha asked. "Some kind of statue?"

Kagome frowned and moved closer. "I don't think so," she replied. "I think it's a corpse." She moved closer to inspect the woman and noticed a large hole in her chest.

"What's that hole from?" Inuyasha questioned. "It's like her heart was ripped out."

"Or her soul," Kagome suggested. She could sense the confusion coming from Inuyasha.

"Her soul?" Inuyasha echoed. "How?"

Kagome kept her gaze on the woman. "There's an old miko practice," she began. "It's a last ditch effort, but if you're trapped in a fight with a youkai, you can essentially push your soul from your body to win the fight. Normally it goes right back into the miko's body, but it looks like it never did on her."

"So she was a miko?" Inuyasha asked. "She looks more like a warrior."

"Miko used to wear armor," Kagome explained. "It's an old practice from hundreds and hundreds of years ago before there was peace between humans and youkai until it ended in the Great War. Given the missing soul and her armor, this woman was definitely a miko. She wasn't just any miko, though. This must be Midoriko. There's no other miko it could be."

"What's so special about her?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome met his gaze. "She created the Shikon Jewel." Inuyasha's eyes widened at her words.

"Midoriko was the one calling us here," Kagome continued. Inuyasha frowned.

"Do you think Sango knew?" he asked. Kagome shook her head.

"No," she replied. "Midoriko's gravesite as well as her creation of the jewel was kept a secret from this world aside from the person destined to keep it purified. The only reason I know about it is because of my mother's family. To anyone else, it's a secret. Well, except for you and Sesshomaru because of the prophecy."

"Then how did Naraku even know about the jewel?" Inuyasha asked suddenly. "And how did he know _you_ had it?"

Kagome paused. _That's right...how_ did _Naraku know that I had it? Mother and I were trained to keep its aura purified and hidden. There's no way he would have been able to sense it..._

"I don't know," Kagome finally replied. "Maybe I'll take a minute to ask before I destroy him." Sarcasm leaked into her voice; she hoped it covered the shaky upset she felt throughout her body.

They both looked back to Midoriko.

"Maybe this is part of the prophecy," Inuyasha said. "We were meant to find this place...together." Kagome looked at him and saw a thoughtful expression on his face.

Before Kagome could reply, a brilliant light surrounded them.

O.o.O.o.O

All at once, the light faded and Inuyasha was able to open his eyes freely. They were still in the cave, but an unfamiliar woman had appeared in front of them.

"Inuyasha, Kagome," she greeted as she floated toward them. Her voice was soft, gentle.

Eyes widening, Inuyasha realized it was the miko that had died in the youkai's jaws.

Kagome gasped and immediately bowed. "Lady Midoriko," she greeted politely. "It is an honor." Inuyasha glanced at Kagome before turning back to the woman.

She drifted to the ground as she observed Inuyasha.

"How do you know us?" Inuyasha asked. Midoriko smiled.

"You are the hanyo and the miko from my prophecy," she replied kindly. "I was certainly hoping we would get to meet soon."

Kagome gasped. " _You_ created the prophecy?" she asked incredulously.

Midoriko smiled. "Yes," she affirmed. She set her attention on Inuyasha. "You are the hanyo I chose for the prophecy. The last known hanyo, one of the last two inu-youkai. You have been destined for great things since your birth. It is why I chose you."

She then turned her attention onto Kagome. "And you are the brilliant daughter of Lady Kikyo," she stated kindly. "There was no doubt you would be the miko to restore light to the world."

"Why do you need me and Kagome?" Inuyasha interjected. "Aren't you powerful enough to retrieve the jewel and eradicate darkness yourself?"

Midoriko shook her head. "I'm merely a shell of my former self," she replied. "What you see now is a small portion of my spirit. My soul is still locked away in the jewel."

Inuyasha frowned. "Then how are you here?" He felt Kagome's sharp glare at his blunt questions.

"This village is the birthplace of the jewel," she explained. "Kagome's and your presence awakened my gravesite."

"We thank you for speaking with us, my lady," Kagome said solemnly. "What wisdom can you offer us?"

Midoriko smiled sadly. "I wish I had all the wisdom in the world for you," she replied sadly. "But my biggest warning is that you must stay with each other. You must destroy Naraku _together_. He is the root of all of this, and he is what sparked my prophecy in the first place."

Kagome's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Midoriko closed her eyes. "Fifty years ago, there was a human man named Onigumo," she began. "He fell in love with a human woman who did not love him back. He sold his body and soul to a horde of youkai to try and gain the strength to overpower the human's lover. The monster built from his anger and heartbreak turned into a horrific youkai. He attacked a village in his new youkai form."

Inuyasha frowned. "You mean the attack that started the war?" he asked.

Midoriko nodded solemnly. "Yes," she replied. "Onigumo became the youkai that started everything. He now goes by the name Naraku."

Inuyasha and Kagome gasped. "That sounds insane," Inuyasha blurted. "Naraku is a _youkai?_ "

"Not quite," she corrected. "His is an odd form of a hanyo."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Impossible," he countered. "Youkai don't hunt and kill each other."

Midorku sighed. "Naraku is different," she replied. "I can feel him even now through the jewel. He is pure evil and he wants to make a wish upon the jewel to become a full-youkai."

"Why hasn't he made his wish yet?" Kagome asked. "He's had the jewel for ten years. Why hasn't he used it?"

"He heard about the prophecy after he became youkai and inadvertently started the war," Midoriko replied. "He spent years looking for the jewel after it was passed down to Kagome. Now that word has spread that you are traveling with Kagome, he will stop at nothing to find you and kill you both."

Inuyasha growled. "Let him," he said menacingly. "We've been trying to lure him out. We want to destroy him."

"You must be careful," Midoriko reminded him. "If either of you were to die before the prophecy is fulfilled, the world will be plunged into an eternal darkness over which Naraku will rule."

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome to see her frowning deeply.

"Who was the woman he loved?" she asked. "Onigumo...Naraku...who did he love?"

Midoriko didn't look surprised by the question. "It was Kikyo," she replied. "Onigumo loved Kikyo."

Kagome sighed heavily. "That's what I figured," she said quietly. "Why didn't Naraku go after her immediately after his transformation?"

"He was incapable of controlling his body," she explained. "The youkai were too powerful. By the time he was coherent enough, Kikyo had already died." Midoriko floated closer to Kagome and gently lifted her face up to smile down at her. "You are a strong girl. You and Inuyasha will succeed. I don't doubt it."

Midoriko dropped her hands from Kagome before turning back to Inuyasha. "I wish I could give you more answers," she said sadly. "All I know is what I can feel through the jewel. There is no telling what dangers lay ahead of you."

Kagome shook her head. "We appreciate your insight," she replied.

Midoriko smiled kindly. "Our time has come to a close. You both must remember what I said….take care of each other. You have the truth about Naraku now. There are many other obstacles standing in your way, but you have each other. Rely on one another. You will stop the darkness."

As Midoriko slowly drifted back to her corpse, she nodded down at the floor of the cave. "I leave a helper with you," she finished. "She will be of great aid to you."

Before Inuyasha or Kagome could ask what she meant, the power faded, leaving them in silence.

_Whatever that means,_ Inuyasha grumbled silently.

The hanyo glanced at Kagome uneasily. "Are you alright?" he asked, sensing her troubled spirit.

Kagome grimaced. "I guess," she replied. "That was...a lot. I wasn't expecting it."

Daring to touch her, Inuyasha reached out to take her hand. Kagome jumped a bit at the sudden contact, but she smiled up at him.

"Listen, Inuyasha," she began slowly, "about the other night…"

_Does she mean the new moon?_ he wondered. _Why would she bring that up now?_

"Yeah?" he replied, encouraging her to continue.

Kagome's blue eyes shone up at him as a light blush came to her cheeks. "Well, I wanted to tell you that-"

"Mew!"

Their attentions snapped away from each other and toward the source of the sudden noise.

When they looked down, Inuyasha saw a small white cat staring up at them. The power of her aura revealed that she wasn't just any cat; she was a neko-youkai.

Twin tails swished behind her as she scrunched her nose up at them. "Mew."

Kagome gasped. " _Kawaii!"_ she cried happily. "What a cute little cat!" The captain knelt down and gently pet the cat on the head.

Inuyasha just stared down at it. "When did that thing get in here?" Kagome glared up at him.

"Don't call it a 'thing!'" she scolded. "This must be the helper Midoriko referred to. I feel the remnant of a spiritual seal tainting her aura. I think she must have been sealed by Midoriko and was woken up when she spoke to us."

Inuyasha frowned. "But why?" he asked. "Why would Midoriko seal her instead of killing her?" Kagome looked down at the cat thoughtfully.

"There was a rumor that Midoriko had a youkai companion," she informed him. I think her name was...Kira? Kala? Wait, no, it was Kirara. I wonder if she sealed her out of protection when the jewel was created."

The cat mewed in an almost affirmative manner as she stretched her limbs a second time.

"A miko had a youkai companion?" Inuyasha repeated. "That's a little weird."

Kagome glanced at him and grinned. "Not weird to any of my crew."

Inuyasha hoped she couldn't see the blush on his cheeks.

Kagome turned her focus back onto the cat and gently rubbed the top of her head. "We should take her with us," Kagome suggested. "Midoriko revived her for a reason."

Inuyasha was less than pleased. "But, Kagome, come on…"

The captain laughed. "Don't tell me you have a problem with cats," she teased. "You're really living up to the _inu_ part of your name. She's cute, Inuyasha. Maybe she'll want to play with Shippo. Then he might not bother you as much."

Ears perking up, Inuyasha finally nodded. "Okay," he conceded. "If it gives me a break from the kitsune, let's take the cat with us."

Kagome laughed and looked back at the cat. "Does that sound good to you?" she asked.

The cat mewed and jumped up into Kagome's arms. With that, Kagome smiled and nodded at Inuyasha.

"I think we can go now," she said. "We got what we came for."

Inuyasha followed her back through the cave. When they reached the opening, they found Miroku and Sango waiting for them.

"We're back," Kagome announced. "We brought a new friend."

Of all the reactions, Inuyasha was most surprised at Sango's. She'd never really struck him as the type to gush over animals, but boy, did she prove him wrong.

"She's so cute!" Sango exclaimed as she reached out to take the cat from Kagome. "What's her name?"

"Kirara," Kagome replied, smiling when Sango immediately hugged Kirara close. The little cat seemed all too pleased and eagerly nuzzled against Sango.

"Did you find her in the cave?" Miroku asked.

Kagome nodded. "Yes," she replied. "She was under a seal until it broke when Inuyasha and I entered the cave."

"What else did you find?" the monk asked.

Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged a glance before Kagome began recounting the conversation with Midoriko.

"Wow," Sango breathed when Kagome finished talking. "I had no idea my village was the birthplace of the jewel."

"And Naraku started the war?" Miroku asked. Kagome nodded.

"Yes," she affirmed. "It's been him this whole time."

They fell into a silence as they allowed the revelation to sink in.

Sango was the one that finally broke the silence.

"What if he was the youkai that destroyed my village and the monastery?" she asked.

Miroku frowned. "We would have recognized him, though," he replied.

Sango shook her head. "He could have taken a different form if he actually is a youkai," she pointed out.

"It seems unlikely that it would be coincidental that Naraku destroyed the village that was the birthplace of the jewel," Kagome admitted. "Sango could be right."

"Then why would he attack the monastery?" Miroku countered. "There's nothing there that has to do with the jewel."

Kagome shrugged. "I guess we'll find out when we get there. Should we head out now?"

The others agreed, so the group began to depart from the cave.

As they began walking to find a good spot to camp out for the night, Kagome's sudden gasp called everyone's attention to her.

The captain's eyes were wide as she stared off into the neighboring forest.

"The jewel," she proclaimed. "I can sense the jewel. Bankotsu must be here." _Thank goodness Shippo isn't here. He would be terrified if he had to see him again._

She braced herself for the confrontation with the opposing captain, but was caught off-guard when Inuyasha spoke up.

"That's not Bankotsu," Inuyasha insisted. "It's someone else."

Kagome frowned harshly. "Who else would have a piece of the jewel? It has to be him!" She growled in frustration. "This is terrible. I don't have my disguise on and neither does Sango, but he knows Miroku and obviously Inuyasha. He'll probably figure it out."

Inuyasha glared at the approaching aura.

"I'm telling you it's not Bankotsu," he argued. "This person smells a lot different. I'm positive it isn't him." Kagome could hear the sincere belief in his voice, and she knew better than to argue with an inu-hanyo's sense of smell.

"That makes no sense!" Kagome shouted. "How are people getting pieces of the jewel?"

The group waited for a few moments with their weapons at the ready. Kagome was surprised to feel a shifting aura with them. When she looked over, she saw that Kirara had transformed into a much larger version of herself; she towered over Sango and Miroku and her fangs had grown to a deadly size.

"You can transform?" Kagome asked incredulously. Kirara's response was a much more deadly sounding roar. Kagome sent a quick prayer of gratitude up to Midoriko to thank her for Kirara.

"I guess we have a new fighter," Sango said as she took a moment to pet the transformed neko's head. Despite Kirara's fearsome stature, she nuzzled Sango's arm.

A loud laugh brought their attention back to the matter at hand.

A figure appeared on the treeline as a human began making their way toward them. There was a sword tossed lazily over the person's shoulder.

"Oh, my," a carefree voice called out. "What a sight. That sexy little puppy must be the Inuyasha I've heard so much about."

Kagome immediately recognized the flirtatious voice. She was used to it, but she saw Inuyasha's jaw drop at the word choice as the figure came closer.

"It's Jakotsu of the Band of Seven," Kagome announced.

The figure, Jakotsu, stood calmly as he brushed back a stray lock of hair hanging from his messy updo. The two markings on his face resembled tears that differed from the bright, red-lipped smile on his mouth.

At the sound of Kagome's voice, Jakotsu's smile dropped.

"A woman," he commented. "How unpleasant. Mind yourself." Jakotsu set his attentions back on Inuyasha as his previous smile found its way back on his face.

"I see you've lost your master," Jakotsu cooed. "Would you like a new one? I'm available."

Growling, Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and prepared to rush him. "That's gonna be a pass from me," he snapped harshly.

Jakotsu's smile grew. "Aw, what a shame," he complained playfully. "I suppose I'll have to play with the other lovely man until you change your mind."

"Be careful of his sword," Kagome warned Inuyasha. "It's dangerous."

Jakotsu once again frowned at her. "Do not speak to him," he said threateningly. "Inuyasha is my prize. I will not have him tainted by the voice of a woman."

Kagome's jaw dropped. She knew from rumors that Jakotsu hated women, but she'd never witnessed it firsthand. She'd always seen him while she was dressed as a man; this was a new reaction.

"Now then," Jakotsu said, "where was I?" He smiled at Miroku. "Oh, yes. I was hoping to play with you until my puppy prize changes his mind."

Inuyasha grimaced. "Don't call me that," he growled.

Jakotsu giggled. "You'll come around soon enough," he said nonchalantly. He set his attention back on Miroku. The monk raised his sword and prepared to fight, fully aware of the threat Jakotsu posed.

Before Jakotsu could attack, Kagome saw him look at Miroku questioningly.

"Wait a second," Jakotsu said. "I know you. You're one of Captain Higurashi's men, aren't you?" He glanced at Inuyasha before looking back at Miroku. "Does Higurashi have you trying to hide Inuyasha from me? Is that why you've departed from the ship?"

Miroku frowned at him. "I will not answer the likes of you," he replied calmly.

Smiling evilly, Jakotsu shrugged. "Oh, well," he accepted cheerfully. "I'm only after Inuyasha anyway. I couldn't care less about your captain." He hummed. "For some strange reason, I've never found him all that attractive."

Kagome gritted her teeth but remained silent. _Don't blow your cover…it's not worth it even though I'd really like to give him a nice punch to the face._

Jakotsu aimed his sword at Miroku. "I think I'll kill you first as an appetizer," he chirped. "Then Inuyasha will be my dinner _and_ dessert." He licked his lips hungrily. "His blood will be sweeter than any wine a man could create."

Inuyasha looked positively disgusted. "That's enough out of you," he called. "I'm tired of hearing you talk about me like a piece of meat."

Jakotsu smiled. "But we're all just pieces of meat in the end, aren't we?"

With that, he thrust his sword at Miroku and began the first attack.

Kagome's crew had seen Jakotsu in action before; her whole crew fought against him as well as the Band of Seven a few times. They all knew what to expect, but she knew that Inuyasha would be shocked at the sight of Jakotsu fighting.

When Jakotsu's sword erupted into its snake-like appearance as he aimed for Miroku, Inuyasha openly gaped at the attack.

"Keep on your feet," Kagome called to him. "He knows how to wield that thing. Be careful."

Miroku dodged out of the way before Jakotsu could do any damage.

"It's been so long since I've seen you," Jakotsu said as he pulled his sword back. "I forgot how nimble and…" He looked him up and down. "… _flexible_ you are."

"Is this guy for real?" Inuyasha asked. He was answered by Jakotsu swinging his sword at Miroku again.

Kirara jumped into the air with a roar and quickly flew to grab Miroku and pull him out of the way. Taking advantage of Jakotsu's surprise, she charged him and knocked him back several yards.

"How dare you!" he shouted as he tried to stand up from the attack. "I thought you were a man but now you're sending a _cat_ to do your dirty work?" Kirara growled.

Jakotsu paused for a moment, as if trying to decide what to do next.

He moved quickly and swung his sword again. This time, it was aimed at Inuyasha. The hanyo jumped out of the way but was nicked by several of the blades.

Jakotsu laughed as he pulled the sword back. There were a few drops of Inuyasha's blood on the tip, and the hanyo looked horrified as Jakotsu licked them up with a loud _slurp!_

"You taste as delicious as you look," Jakotsu gushed. "I can't wait to slice you open and get an even better taste."

Jakotsu swung at Inuyasha again.

Kagome quickly knocked an arrow and sent it flying at Jakotsu. It struck him in his upper arm, eliciting a scream of pain from him.

"You foolish woman!" he shouted. "How dare you attack me!" He flung the sword at Kagome next, which she easily dodged.

Jakotsu's fury at Kagome turned into an all-out attack on them all. He swung his sword haphazardly in an attempt to hit any of them.

Sango was fighting off his hits with her own sword, as were Kagome and Miroku. Kirara kept trying to get close to him, but his sword was too frantic to dodge safely.

Inuyasha had yet to pull his Tessaiga, and Kagome was worried he would be injured if he didn't at least _try_ to use it.

"Inuyasha!" she shouted as she dodged another attack from Jakotsu. "Use your sword!"

"I can't!" Inuyasha hollered back. "I still can't use it!"

"Just _try_ it!" Kagome ordered.

Inuyasha hesitated as he looked from Kagome to Jakotsu, who was preparing to swing again.

Kagome saw Inuyasha pull his sword and aim it at Jakotsu, who burst into laughter at the sight of the rusty Tessaiga.

"What do you expect to do with that hunk of metal?" Jakotsu asked jovially. "That wouldn't even break skin."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in concentration, and Kagome could tell he was trying to get the sword to transform.

_Please work, please work, please work…_

Kagome barely registered when Jakotsu hit Inuyasha.

All she could focus on was the sight of Inuyasha's distress as the Tessaiga didn't transform. Jakotsu's sword struck the hanyo deeply as the blades wrapped around his body, trapping his arms by his sides and immediately drawing blood.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed.

Inuyasha growled in pain as he tried to escape the sword. "Let me go!" he shouted.

Jakotsu laughed and pulled the hilt of the sword, effectively tightening his hold on Inuyasha. The hanyo hissed in pain as the blades cut him deeper.

Kagome had seen Jakotsu use this move before. It dismembered the victim easily, and it was a form of torture only Jakotsu could be evil enough to create.

"Say my name, Inuyasha!" Jakotsu commanded. "I want to hear you _scream_ it!"

Inuyasha desperately tried to break free from the deadly entrapment, but to no avail.

Kagome felt her body fill with rage at the sight of Inuyasha bleeding so heavily. With a fire she'd never felt before, she drew an arrow and loaded it with a large amount of power.

She aimed at Jakotsu's leg and shot the arrow in an attempt to limit his mobility.

When the arrow embedded itself in Jakotsu's calf, the man screamed in pain and loosened his hold on the sword's hilt.

Inuyasha took advantage of his momentary distraction to detangle himself from the mess of blades before falling to the ground.

Jakotsu growled in frustration as he glared at Kagome. "You stupid woman!" he shouted. "How dare you interfere!"

Kagome looked at him menacingly as she pulled another arrow. Without hesitation, she shot it in his other leg before drawing two more to embed in his arms.

Jakotsu collapsed.

"Miroku, Sango, grab him!" Kagome called as she ran to Inuyasha. She saw Miroku and Sango run toward Jakotsu and wrestle his arms behind him. Sango pulled the ribbon from her hair to tie his wrists together.

Kagome dropped to Inuyasha's side where he lay bleeding freely. "Inuyasha!" she cried. "Are you okay?"

Inuyasha groaned as Kagome reached out to gently touch his arm. "Ouch," he mumbled.

Kagome's eyes filled with tears as she saw how seriously wounded he was. "You're gonna be okay," she assured waveringly. "You better not die on me, got it?"

Inuyasha nodded, obviously in pain, as Kagome tried to keep her tears from falling.

The captain looked up to see Kirara dragging Jakotsu over. She had the back of his collar clenched in her teeth as she pulled him along.

"Are you okay, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked urgently as he and Sango joined Kagome's side. Inuyasha grimaced.

"Just dandy," he muttered.

"Let go of me!" Jakotsu shouted as he tried to break free from Kirara's hold. "Inuyasha is supposed to die in my arms, not by the side of a woman!"

"What should we do with him?" Sango asked.

The captain shook herself out of her daze and glared at Jakotsu. "Why do you have a piece of the Shikon Jewel?" she demanded. "How did you get it?"

Jakotsu looked at her in disgust. "I refuse to divulge such information to a woman," he scoffed. Miroku reached out to roughly tighten the ribbon at his wrists, eliciting a loud yelp of pain from Jakotsu.

"You ready to talk now?" Miroku asked.

"Okay, fine!" Jakotsu replied. "Naraku gave a shard to each of the Band of Seven when we were revived." Kagome's eyes widened.

"Revived?" she repeated. "What do you mean?"

Jakotsu smirked. "Surely you heard the rumors," he replied. "We were murdered not too long ago. We were deemed too dangerous, I suppose." He looked down at Inuyasha and smirked. "I guess you could say I'm a bad boy."

Inuyasha, despite the pain he was in, made a face. "Just shut up."

"Why did Naraku revive you?" Kagome pressed. "What could he possibly want with you?"

Jakotsu shrugged as much as he could with his arms tied behind his back. "I didn't ask," he replied. "Bankotsu just said to come after Inuyasha and kill him."

Kagome frowned. "Why?"

Jakotsu huffed impatiently. "I already told you I don't know," he replied. "I'm just following orders."

Kagome looked at Miroku and Sango to find worried expressions on their faces. _Naraku has recruited known murderers to kill us?_ she pondered. _He must be getting desperate._

Her eyes widened. _Naraku must know the prophecy,_ she realized. _Why else would he be trying so hard to find us now? He knows Inuyasha and I have met and that we're trying to fulfill the prophecy. This is bad._

"Hand over your jewel shard," Kagome commanded. "And maybe we'll let you go."

Jakotsu's eyes widened. "No, don't!" he cried. "Don't take it! I don't want to end up like Bankotsu!"

Kagome paused. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Jakotsu shook his head. "He made a mistake and Naraku took his shard back," he replied. "Don't do it to me, too!"

_A mistake?_ Kagome wondered. _Nothing is making any sense!_

The captain ignored his plea. "Someone as evil as you," she began, "shouldn't have it in your possession, even as a human."

She examined Jakotsu until she could pinpoint where the jewel shard was coming from. Her brows furrowed. _It's embedded in his neck? Naraku must be making sure they don't lose them._

Jakotsu began fighting Kirara's grip more intensely as Kagome reached out to remove the shard. "No!" he shouted. "Stop, don't-"

His cries died out as Kagome pulled the jewel shard from his neck.

As soon as it was out of his body, Jakotsu turned to ash. Kirara dropped his shirt from her mouth and sneezed at the unpleasant powder.

"What just happened?" Sango wondered out loud. "Did he...die?"

Kagome sighed and looked at the shard in her hand. "The jewel must have been his life force," she replied. "It's tainted, which is why it could revive and sustain such an evil human as Jakotsu. The jewel shards must be sustaining all of the Band of Seven."

Miroku nodded slowly. "That makes sense," he replied. "But why would Naraku do this?"

"Do you think he knows about the prophecy?" Sango cut in.

Kagome frowned. "I was thinking that, too," she replied. "I think it's a safe bet that he does. I don't know how, but he must have found out. He must have heard that Inuyasha is with me and that the prophecy is starting to unfold." She shook her head. "Lazy guy. He doesn't want to sully his hands by killing us so he's sending lackeys to try and do it for him."

Realization dawned on Kagome as her eyes widened.

"That must be why Bankotsu attacked us," she said. "He was trying to figure out if we'd joined forces yet."

Inuyasha frowned up at her. "Then why didn't he kill us?" he asked, his voice still tense with pain.

It was finally starting to click. "He didn't sense you on the ship," Kagome replied as she looked down at him. "You were saving Shippo, so he must not have realized you actually _were_ with us."

"Maybe that's why Naraku took the shard back," Miroku added. "Bankotsu didn't kill Inuyasha because he didn't know he was on the ship. Naraku could have punished him by taking the shard and sending him back to the grave."

Kagome took a deep breath. "You could be right," she admitted. "That would make a lot of sense."

Before the group could ponder anymore, Inuyasha groaned in pain again.

Kagome looked down at him in fear. "Try not to move," she said gently.

Inuyasha's face had gone pale, and Kagome could tell he was teetering the line of consciousness.

"Hey," Kagome said a little louder. "Don't go to sleep, okay?" She shook him gently to try and keep him roused.

Inuyasha's eyes fluttered as he tried to keep them open. "Lost...a lot...of blood," he moaned. "Hurts."

Kagome reached out to smooth back his bangs from his forehead. "Try to stay awake," she soothed. "We have to make sure everything is okay."

When she started to pull her hand back, Inuyasha grabbed it and held it tightly in his grasp. "Ka…go…me…"

His grip went slack as his eyes drifted closed.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Inuyasha!" she called. "Inuyasha, wake up!"

Sango's hand gently settled on her shoulder. "Maybe it'll be good for him to sleep," she pointed out softly. "He's a hanyo…maybe that's what he needs to heal."

Kagome felt the burn of tears in her eyes, but nodded nonetheless. "You're right," she replied. "Maybe that'll help."

The sun had set low in the sky, and darkness had nearly fallen. Kagome bit her lip and tried to figure out what their best course of action would be. They would have had to camp out that night anyway, but beyond that…she just didn't know.

"I guess we should set up camp," Kagome finally said. "Inuyasha is out cold. Everyone else might as well get some rest, too."

Miroku and Sango nodded as they walked over to start unpacking their bags. Kagome looked back down at Inuyasha once more. She sighed before taking off her cloak to fold it up and set it under Inuyasha's head.

_I just hope he's comfortable,_ she worried silently as she rose to help the others.

They made a fire and ate a light dinner in silence. When Miroku and Sango decided to lay down, Inuyasha had still not woken.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" Sango asked as she curled up under her blanket with Kirara, who was now in her smaller form. "I can stay awake with you."

Kagome shook her head. _She knows me well enough to know I don't plan on sleeping until Inuyasha wakes up._

"I'll be okay," Kagome assured. "How are we on supplies?"

"I checked everything when we were setting up," Miroku replied. "We've got enough stuff for several more days. We should be able to make it to the monastery and then to the ship. We can always find berries or stuff along the way if we need it."

Kagome nodded. She'd instructed the helmsman to sail to a dock closer to the monastery to meet them so they wouldn't have to walk all the way back to the ship before going to Miroku's old home.

"Great," she replied. She soon bade Miroku and Sango good night before walking back over to Inuyasha.

She planted herself by his side and gently took his hand in hers.

He looked as peaceful as the first time she'd woken up next to him. If it weren't for all the blood, Kagome might have believed he was just recreating that beautiful morning.

As she looked down at him and watched his chest rise and fall, she felt tears come to her eyes. Finally allowing them to stream down her cheeks, she had to stifle the sobs that threatened to wrack her body.

There was something so different about this than the fear she'd felt when she thought Bankotsu had taken Inuyasha.

Actually watching the hanyo be taken down in such a horrific manner was _traumatizing_. The blood…Jakotsu's blades…the sight of Inuyasha falling unconscious…it was horrible.

She gazed down at his face as he continued to slumber while she allowed her free hand to come up and lightly stroke his cheek.

Touching him and looking at him like this made her realize that there was something growing in her heart...something akin to _love._

Maybe she had always known. It was the immediate camaraderie she felt with him when they met. It was his reaction to seeing her ningyo form for the first time. It was the way he slept so peacefully when she sang and how there were times it seemed like the tenderness of his heart overcame his gruff exterior.

It was how he kissed her. She didn't care that he didn't feel the same way about her. But now, gazing down at him, remembering the way he held her hand so tightly before he passed out, she wondered if Sango might have been right.

_Did I really read him wrong?_ Kagome wondered. _Maybe I jumped to conclusions too quickly. I was so scared and overwhelmed by it all._

As she sat there, knowing she had been just a moment away from losing him, Kagome found that she just didn't care about her fear anymore. The only thing that mattered was that Inuyasha was here and that he was with her.

The tears continued to fall as she ran her thumb over his cheek.

Her heart ached at the sight of him. She had always been like her mother, but now she felt that way even more. Falling in love with a hanyo must be hereditary.

Kagome's eyes widened as she gazed at him. _Love?_ she repeated internally. _It can't be…but-_

A quiet groan broke her from her thoughts as Inuyasha shifted slightly.

Kagome brought her hand away from his face as she stared down at him.

"Inuyasha?" she murmured gently. "Can you hear me?" The hanyo took in a deep breath before opening his eyes.

It took a moment, but he soon focused on her. "Kagome?" he said weakly.

Kagome smiled and nodded. "I'm here. Try not to move too much."

Inuyasha carefully pulled himself up.

"Be careful," Kagome chided as she reached out to help him. When he was settled in a seated position, he had to wipe beads of sweat from his forehead.

Kagome frowned. _He's that tired from just sitting up?_ she realized. _Man, he's really injured._

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked. Kagome sighed.

"A few hours," she replied. "You've just been lying there…and-"

Kagome looked away and cut herself off, not wanting him to pick up on the anguish she was barely keeping back.

She soon felt Inuyasha's fingers cup her chin in his hand before he gently guided her face back to him. Embarrassed, she smiled weakly as several tears escaped.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said incredulously. "You're crying again…"

The captain remembered his initial shock when she'd cried after thinking Bankotsu had captured him.

"Yeah, you jerk," she teased. "What did I tell you about scaring me into crying?"

Inuyasha smiled at her and gently wiped away the remaining tears on her cheeks.

"I'm fine now, woman," he replied. "You can quit your wailing." He reached out and gently took one of her hands in his. The light scratch of his claws made Kagome shiver slightly as he deeply into her eyes.

_The way he's acting,_ she realized, _there's no way he doesn't feel the same way about me. This isn't one-sided. This is destiny._

"Inuyasha-"

"Kagome-"

They both laughed lightly at their shared interruptions. Kagome knew. She _knew_.

She just hoped he did, too.

"I should check your wounds," Kagome said. "Are you in any pain?"

Inuyasha shook his head and he pulled off his tattered shirt. "Nah. I need a new shirt, though."

Kagome stood up to go get her medical supplies. "I'm sure Miroku has one you can use," she replied.

After she'd cleaned and inspected his wounds, she heaved a sigh of relief. She wasn't entirely sure if it was Inuyasha's healing ability or if he'd just gotten lucky, but she knew he would heal just fine.

"I heal fast," Inuyasha said as she ran her hands over the newly-covered gashes.

Kagome laughed as she moved back to sit across from him. "I was just wondering how you're already better."

Inuyasha grimaced as he put on Miroku's shirt. "When I get injured really badly," he began, "my body shuts down. This…this was bad. If Jakotsu had pulled just a little tighter...I don't think I would've made it out. I don't think I've ever been this injured."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Really?" she asked. "You're like four-hundred-years-old. You've never had an injury like this?"

Inuyasha hesitated. "Well…I would have, but I used to wear a sort of armor that prevented a lot of stuff."

"Armor?" Kagome repeated. "Why did you stop wearing it?"

The hanyo shrugged. "It's old-fashioned and looks very _youkai_."

Kagome hummed. "It's a shame you don't have it anymore."

Inuyasha grimaced sheepishly. "I actually do still have it," he admitted. "It's woven from fur of the fire rat. It's just a usual haori, kosode, and hakama set, so it's easy to carry with me."

Nodding, Kagome smiled. "I'm glad you have it. I think it would be good for you to wear."

"I'll think about it," Inuyasha replied with a shrug.

Kagome squeezed his hand and smiled. "Do you think you'll be able to travel tomorrow or will you need a day to rest up?"

"I'll be fine," Inuyasha replied. His eyes glanced down to their entwined hands.

"Uh, Kagome…" he began nervously. "About earlier…"

_Earlier? As in when he was about to be maimed?_

"Earlier when?" she asked.

To her surprise, a light blush came to his cheeks. "After we talked to Midoriko in the cave."

Then Kagome understood his blush.

_I'm surprised he's even bringing that up after everything else today,_ she thought to herself. _I wanted to talk about the new moon, but it's been such a crazy day...there will be time tomorrow._

"It can wait," she replied. "We should get some rest, especially you."

Before she could move, Inuyasha tightened his hold on her hand.

"Kagome," he said. "Thank you."

The captain smiled. "Good night."

Inuyasha relinquished his hold on her hand before he lay back down. As if noticing that he'd been laying on her cloak, he sat back up.

"Your cloak," he reminded her. Kagome waved him off.

"Use it as a pillow," she replied. "I have an extra blanket."

He didn't fight her on it and instead lay back down.

She pretended to not notice him inhaling her scent within the cloak, only allowing herself a furtive smile.

As she fell asleep, the ache she'd been feeling began to lessen.

_I don't have doubts anymore,_ she resolved silently. _Inuyasha and I...our meeting was no coincidence._

_It was destiny._

To be continued…


	9. The Monastery

**Chapter 9: The Monastery**

The next morning, Inuyasha was _sore_.

Even his hanyo healing couldn't fix all the damage in one night; the wounds left by Jakotsu were better, but he knew moving too much or too quickly could just as easily reopen them.

He knew Kagome could tell. Of course she could; the way she was able to read him was almost scary.

Inuyasha wondered if she would still want to continue their conversation from the previous night. If he hadn't been so exhausted from the fight, it probably would have kept him awake. Kagome had outlined his dreams in subtle ways, from the overwhelming hue of her eyes to the shine of her scales.

The tension, although not completely unpleasant, between them was almost palpable; he was amazed that Miroku hadn't been cracking jokes about the obviously hesitant atmosphere.

Inuyasha knew it was because they were heading to Miroku's old monastery.

Miroku and Sango headed the group, quietly talking with each other as they walked closer than usual. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

_No groping and subsequent slapping?_ he noticed. _I wonder what's up with them._

"And _they_ tease _us_ ," Kagome mumbled under her breath.

Inuyasha glanced at her. "What?" he asked, even though he knew very well what exactly she'd said.

He didn't miss her blush.

"Nothing," she replied. "How are you feeling? Do you need to rest soon?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I'm fine, woman," he said, not unkindly. Kagome nodded.

"Alright," she replied. "But if your wounds start bleeding, we'll stop so I can redress them. No arguing."

The smile he cracked was beyond his control.

O.o.O.o.O

During the two-and-a-half day trek to the monastery, Kagome noticed that something was different with Miroku and Sango.

They very rarely left each other's sides, and the only way they were separated was if Kirara was walking between them.

_Maybe this trip has been good for them,_ Kagome mused. _Maybe reliving the things they experienced together has opened their eyes._ She smiled. _Well, opened Sango's eyes. Miroku's eyes have always been opened to the feelings he's had._

Kagome and Inuyasha had been walking in relative silence during the trip; she wondered if her hanyo companion had noticed the change.

On the day they were set to reach the monastery, Kagome decided to bring it up.

"Say, Inuyasha," she said quietly. "Have you noticed anything weird between Miroku and Sango?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "She hasn't hit him in a few days. That's pretty unusual." Kagome laughed quietly.

"I think the trip to the village was good for Sango," she said. "I hope it'll be good for Miroku, too."

"Do you think we'll find anything?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome sighed. "I really, really hope so. I don't know what we would find, but there has to be something to explain why the monastery was attacked. It's safe to assume Sango's village was attacked because of the jewel's origins, but I don't know how the monastery has anything to do with it."

The pair fell back into silence as they continued walking. Miroku announced they were roughly twenty minutes away, so they prepared themselves for anything. Kagome honestly had no idea what to expect.

It was mid-afternoon when they reached the monastery. Miroku's eyes had widened when it came into view, and Kagome could tell that he was reliving whatever his negative memories were.

Sango stayed by his side as they approached a destroyed building.

"This was the main temple," Miroku said as he stopped in front of it. "This is where we trained and meditated."

Piles of wood lay in shambles as they gazed at the shell of what was once a grand temple. The same sort of carnage and overall sweeping destruction mirrored the houses they'd seen in Sango's village.

As they walked through the remains, Kagome kept her senses open for any sign of a person or the jewel. If Jakotsu tracked them down, it was likely another member of the Band of Seven would find them.

The captain patted the dress pocket that contained the jewel shard. She was keeping it purified in an attempt to preserve her original duty. She at least had that to be happy about.

Unlike in Sango's village, the group stayed together instead of splitting up. They scoured every building for some sort of clue, but there was nothing.

"I'm sorry, Miroku," Kagome said after they'd been searching for a couple hours.

Kagome had never seen Miroku like this. His aura radiated a kind of sadness Kagome didn't think he was even capable of feeling. Sango set a comforting hand on his back as he sighed.

"Maybe we're missing something," Sango assured. "What's a connection my village could have with the monastery? What's a similarity?"

The group paused for a moment.

"If I had to guess," Inuyasha spoke up, "I would say that Naraku was searching for the jewel. It's possible that he would have thought it would be here."

Kagome shook her head. "The monastery was destroyed _after_ Naraku stole the jewel and killed my father," she reminded him.

"What if he thought Kagome was hiding here?" Sango asked. "Like you said: it was shortly after her father passed that the monastery was destroyed. It would make sense for a young woman to take refuge in a place like this, especially since Kagome can suppress her aura. No one would realize she was part-youkai, or even a miko for that matter."

Kagome's eyes widened. "So you think Naraku was still looking for me?" she asked. "My father died so I could escape, but I didn't think Naraku would pursue me after he stole the jewel."

"Based on what we've deduced from what Midoriko told you and Inuyasha," Sango began, "Naraku knew the prophecy before obtaining the jewel. I can't imagine he would just let you go."

Kagome couldn't believe it. "You're right...I went into hiding after my father died before meeting up with you and Miroku. Maybe he gave up looking for me until he found out that Inuyasha and I met."

"Wait, wait," Inuyasha interjected. "How would he know it would be a problem that I'm with you as Captain Higurashi? Midoriko said that since we're now traveling together, Naraku would hunt us down and kill us both. Does that mean he knows who you really are?"

"I-I don't know," Kagome stuttered. "How would he? He doesn't know me as the captain. I've never even encountered him at sea. There's no way he could know."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Then why would Midoriko say that? He _has_ to know. There's no other way to explain why he would have come after us with the intent to kill now that we're traveling together."

Kagome looked away as she tried to make sense of the thoughts running through her head.

Suddenly, Kagome gasped. "Kaede! She's the only one that knows aside from the four of us. What if Naraku found her and harmed her? It would take a lot to get that kind of information from her, but I wouldn't put it past Naraku to do something like take out an elderly woman. Maybe he found her after all this time...he would have known who she was…"

"Should we go see her?" Sango suggested. "Maybe it would be a good idea to check on her."

Kagome nodded eagerly. "I don't see anything else here," she replied. "We should move on."

Two familiar auras suddenly assaulted Kagome's senses.

"Oh, no," she said lowly. "We've got company."

A gust of wind blew throughout the destroyed monastery. Kagome's hair whirled around her face as she tried to find the youkai she knew were hiding amongst the shadows.

"Well, well, well," a taunting voice called. "If it isn't our little ningyo."

A large feather flew over them, soon shrinking to reveal two women who had been flying on it. Kagome instantly recognized the red-eyed woman as the youkai on the dock she'd seen on the day she'd left the message in the bottle. She'd never seen the other youkai, but she recognized her aura. As soon as the white-haired, child-like youkai spoke, Kagome knew she would recognize the soft voice as well.

"Who are you?" Kagome called back fiercely. The two youkai landed easily on their feet as the red-eyed woman stuck the feather back in her hair. The smaller youkai was holding a mirror in her hands; Kagome spared a moment to wonder what she'd planned to do with it, but focused in on the matter at hand.

"Answer me," Kagome demanded. "I know you're Kanna." She nodded toward the white-haired youkai. "But I don't know your name." She nodded toward the red-eyed youkai.

Red eyes sparkled as the woman smiled. "I'm Kagura, the Wind Sorceress," she replied haughtily. "And you're the ningyo I saw trying to hide from me in the water. I should have known you would be involved with our business somehow.

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha to see him frowning at the women. She figured he was recalling their goal in slaying him. His eyes were devoid of fear; instead, they were calculating and cold. Kagome vaguely wondered if he'd ever fought a youkai before. It was unlikely to have been within the last several decades with the laws against youkai-on-youkai violence. Before that, Kagome didn't know.

"Should we go for her first, Kagura?" Just as Kagome remembered, Kanna's question was voiced in a soft tone as she addressed the wind sorceress.

"You're not gonna lay a hand on her!" Inuyasha interjected harshly. "You'll have to get through me first." Kagome's eyes widened at his declaration.

Kagura only laughed. "That can be arranged," she cooed. "You're our real prey right now anyway."

The wind sorceress pulled two fans from her sleeves and quickly opened them to aim at Inuyasha.

" _Dance of Blades!"_ Her battle cry rang through the air as her fans released crescent-shaped wind patterns. She was aiming straight for Inuyasha, whom was just able to dodge out of the way before being sliced by her wind.

"What kind of attack was that?" Miroku asked.

Kagura laughed. "I'm not called a wind sorceress for nothing," she said as she released another Dance of Blades attack.

Kagome and her comrades were able to block the attack again. Taking advantage of the moment, Kagome reflected on the conversation she'd overheard between the two youkai in front of her.

_They're working for someone,_ she recalled. _They're not doing this on their own._

"Who do you work for?" Kagome demanded. "I overheard you talking about your 'boss.' Who is it?"

Grinning evilly, Kagura prepared to attack once more. "You haven't figured it out by now?"

"Naraku!" Sango suddenly shouted. Kagome whipped her gaze over to her to see the sincere belief on Sango's face.

"They must be working for Naraku," Sango reiterated.

Kagome frowned and turned back to Kagura and Kanna.

"Well?" she said. "Are you?"

Kagura shrugged and released another round of wind blades. Dodging, Kagome rolled out of the way while stretching her senses to see if Kagura or Kanna possessed any jewel shards.

_They don't have any,_ she realized. _That means they're alive…_

"They're not undead!" Kagome announced to Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha. "They don't have any jewel shards."

Kagura readied her fans again. "Ah," she said. "You must have already seen Bankotsu and Jakotsu. I know what Naraku did to Bankotsu, but what became of Jakotsu?"

Inuyasha growled. "We destroyed him."

"You destroyed him?" Kagura asked. She pointed to Kagome. "Or did _Captain Higurashi_ do the deed?"

Kagome's eyes widened. _So Naraku_ does _know who I am. That's not good._

"How do you know about that?" Kagome asked, eyes narrowing. _Maybe I can get them to admit what they're doing like we did with Jakotsu._

Without answering, Kagura released a new attack.

" _Dance of the Dragon!"_

This time, several tornadoes appeared and began swirling around Kagome and her group.

She barely realized that she was being yanked out of the way until Inuyasha's woodsy scent assaulted her senses.

His grip was firm, pulling her close in a protective embrace. Glancing over, Kagome saw Miroku and Sango hovering over the newly-destroyed ground. Kirara was in the air with them safely on her back. Kagome once again sent a grateful prayer up to Midoriko for sending the neko-youkai to them.

"Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked, his arms still wrapped around her waist. Kagome couldn't help but allow her hands to linger on his arms for a moment.

"I'm fine," she replied as Inuyasha released her.

"How precious," Kagura said sarcastically. "It appears the captain and the hanyo have fallen in love." She cackled before tilting her head at Kanna. "Isn't that tragic?" Kanna only stared ahead, her expressionless gaze never changing.

Kagura rolled her eyes. "She doesn't talk much," she told Kagome and the others as if they were engaged in a casual conversation rather than a quickly escalating fight.

Kagome didn't even bother rolling her eyes. Inuyasha kept close to her, as if lending her strength while also thriving off her own. She stretched her aura to his, gently nudging it in a comforting gesture. He returned it, and somehow, within the sudden frenzy in which they'd found themselves, Kagome felt calm.

Kagura attacked again with her tornadoes, and the opposing group managed to dodge once again.

_She's too far away to hit,_ Kagome noted. _We can't get close to her; she'd just blow us out of the way. Even my arrow would get knocked off-course._

She looked around frantically, trying to assess the situation in a way that could hopefully save them.

"They're dodging too much," Kagura complained to Kanna. "I can't hit them." The white-haired girl didn't respond verbally; instead, she slowly raised up her mirror.

Kagome gaped up at it as the mirror slowly began to glow. For only the second time during their encounter, Kanna spoke.

"I'll be having your soul now," she said softly as light shot out of the mirror and toward Kagome.

The captain's eyes widened as she jumped to the side to avoid the mirror's light.

As if sensing her movements, the light followed her and soon engulfed her whole body.

"Captain!" Sango called. Miroku soon echoed her as they tried to reach her. Kagura attacked them with her Dance of the Dragon, making it impossible for the duo to approach further.

With one fan, Kagura continued attacking Miroku and Sango as they flew on Kirara while using her other fan to attack Inuyasha.

Kagome couldn't focus on the others; she was in too much pain.

As soon as she had become engulfed in the light, her body felt as if it were being ripped apart. It was as if large pieces of her flesh were being ripped off, some quickly, some agonizingly painful.

Tears of pain shot to Kagome's eyes as she collapsed onto the ground.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted.

He sounded far. _Too_ far.

It was too painful for Kagome to even open her eyes as the assault on her body continued.

"How peculiar," she heard Kanna say.

"What do you mean?" Kagura asked. "Why isn't she being sucked in?"

The light increased, as did the fusillade of pain on her body.

"Her soul is too large," Kanna said. "The mirror cannot obtain it." Kagome heard Kagura huff impatiently.

"Then I guess we should just kill them," Kagura said. "We can't very well get her soul _and_ kill Inuyasha. I'll just kill both of them."

_Get my soul?_ Kagome thought to herself. _Why would they need my soul?_

"I'll start with the captain," Kagura announced. "She has been such a pain. It'll be nice to finally be rid of her."

Kagome managed to open her eyes enough to see Kagura's red gaze fixed on her, the deadly fans rising in the air and pointing at her.

"As if I would let you lay a _hand_ on her!" Inuyasha's shout came as he quickly jumped in front of Kagome.

"Inuyasha, move," Kagome ordered weakly, still unable to move. "She'll kill you."

Inuyasha looked back at her with a determined expression on his face.

"I'll be fine," he assured. "Don't try to talk."

Kagome attempted to shake her head; she wasn't sure how well it worked. "But-"

Inuyasha's voice cut her off.

"Just shut up and let me protect you!" he shouted.

Kagome's eyes widened at his declaration. Soon enough, they widened even more as a glow came from the scabbard at his side.

Kagome watched Inuyasha's attention drift to the sword that was so obviously begging to be drawn.

Glancing at Kagome once more, Inuyasha turned back to draw the Tessaiga.

It glowed brighter as it transformed from a rusty piece of metal to a large, fang-like blade.

Kagome heard Miroku and Sango gasp in surprise as Inuyasha wasted no time in charging Kagura.

The wind sorceress, obviously caught off-guard and unaware of his relic, was unable to move quickly enough.

Inuyasha swung his sword and managed to slice her fans in half, rendering them useless.

"How dare you!" Kagura shouted.

Inuyasha raised his sword again and aimed it at her. "There are laws against youkai killing other youkai," he growled in a deadly voice. "But you've made me really angry. I think I'll make an exception today."

Before he could strike again, Kagura scoffed and pulled the feather from her hair before tossing it in the air.

She quickly grabbed Kanna's arm and dragged her onto the feather.

"We'll be back!" Kagura warned menacingly. "Don't think this is the last you've seen of us!"

With that, they departed on the feather and were gone.

The blinding pain receded from Kagome. She remained on the ground, uncertain of whether it was out of lingering weakness or just in surprise at Inuyasha.

His sword was still large and fang-like. He was staring at it in awe.

"Tessaiga," he murmured. "I can't believe it."

Looking back at Kagome still lying on the ground, his eyes widened and he quickly sheathed his sword.

"Kagome," he said as he moved to her side and knelt down next to her. "Are you alright?"

Rendered speechless, Kagome just nodded. Miroku, Sango, and Kirara soon joined them at Kagome's other side.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Miroku asked.

"We could _see_ her trying to rip your soul out," Sango added. "Are you still in pain?"

Kagome shook her head. "I'm okay," she assured. "Just a little tired."

Sango gently aided her when Kagome started to sit up.

Blue eyes locked with gold ones as Kagome set a hand on Inuyasha's. "Thank you," she said. "I can't believe your sword finally transformed."

Inuyasha, still shaken by the development, nodded. "Good timing, huh?" he joked as he finally smiled.

"I'll get you some water," Miroku offered. He got up to hurry over to their supplies to grab a flask of water.

"Maybe we should camp out here," Kagome suggested. "I don't think I would be able to cover much ground right now."

When Miroku returned with the water, he was grimacing.

Kagome felt incredibly guilty; she was sure it would be hard for him to stay here longer, especially after the confrontation they'd just had.

"Actually," she quickly added, "I think I could make it a little ways. Any distance is still distance."

Miroku frowned down at her. "Are you sure, Kagome?" he asked seriously. "We can just stay here." Kagome shook her head firmly.

"No," she replied. "I'm okay. We need to reach the ship and get to Kaede's house as soon as possible."

Miroku and Sango nodded, but Kagome could feel Inuyasha's gaze on her. He obviously didn't believe her, but he didn't fight her on it.

Not even ten minutes after they'd decided to move on from the monastery, Kagome was swaying on her feet.

She was _exhausted._ She couldn't remember ever being so tired.

The captain tried to suck it up and keep walking, but it was getting more and more difficult by the second.

"Hey," Inuyasha's soft voice said from next to her.

Trying to hide her discomfort, Kagome met his gaze and smiled. "Hey," she replied, trying not to sound as weak as she felt.

Inuyasha's hand on her shoulder stopped her movement as he stepped in front of her to kneel down.

"Get on," he said. Eyes widening, Kagome shook her head.

"No, it's okay," she replied. "I'm fine."

Inuyasha looked back at her as he rolled his eyes. "Just get on, woman."

She wanted to deny him with some argument about the strong woman she was, fully capable of taking care of herself, but she really was tired, and he was offering, so…

"Alright," she finally conceded as she carefully got onto Inuyasha's back.

When she was settled comfortably and he had a firm grip on her legs, Inuyasha began moving again.

Kagome allowed herself to relish in the moment; her arms looped around his neck loosely as she dared to subtly enjoy his scent as it surrounded her with every step forward.

She soon relaxed fully and leaned her head on his shoulder. Uncertain if he even realized it, Kagome felt his grip tighten on her legs. She nestled closer to him, burying her face in his long hair.

Kagome was asleep by the time they decided to make camp. Inuyasha roused her gently, encouraging her to get off and lay down for more rest.

She obliged as she grabbed her blanket and laid it out on the ground. Miroku got a fire going before passing around small snacks for everyone. No one was all that hungry after the day they'd had.

Kagome figured she would go back to sleep quickly, but as she heard the others drift off into slumber, she found herself wide awake. Her body was still tired, but her mind was moving at warp speed.

She sat up and glanced at the others. Sango and Miroku were asleep; Kagome noticed that their hands were suspiciously close, implying that they'd mostly likely fallen asleep with them clasped. She smiled at the small bit of affection as she quietly stood up.

She walked a little ways off from the group to reflect on their day. It had been hectic and crazy, and she just wanted a moment to _breathe._

Kagome decided to stop when she reached a small meadow. She perched herself on a large rock and tilted her head up to the sky, basking in the moonlight. She allowed it to calm her and soothe her tired soul. The only thing that could have made it better would be if she could transform into her ningyo form, but she would save that for when it was safer.

A blush came to her cheeks as her thoughts drifted to Inuyasha. His declaration of protection rang through her heart.

She sighed. _I'm in really deep...but I'm okay with it._

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha's heart was still pounding even after they'd decided on a place to camp for the night.

The Tessaiga was still releasing little pulses every now and again, and Inuyasha reflected on the power that had coursed through him and the small youkai-miko that he'd desired to protect.

In that moment, his only priority was to make sure Kagome was safe. He didn't care about anything else other than protecting her. After his resolve, he felt a power run through the Tessaiga, and it was unlike anything he could have ever imagined.

His thoughts were a mix of Kagome and the Tessaiga. They soon turned to mostly her as she snuggled close to him as he carried her. The scent of the ocean that eternally lingered on her skin and hair surrounded him. He breathed her in deeply, enjoying every moment of their contact.

Sleep evaded him, and when he heard Kagome rise and leave the camp, he got up to follow her after a short consideration.

When he found her, she was sitting on a rock, hair as wild as ever, with her face tilted up toward the night sky. If her eyes had been open, Inuyasha knew the blue would have looked darker than the sea at night.

"Hi," she greeted as he approached, obviously sensing him before he'd spoken.

"Hey," Inuyasha replied. "Can I sit?"

Kagome opened her eyes, bluer than the ocean at night as he'd known they would be, and patted the space next to her.

Inuyasha sat down, allowing himself to be far enough that they weren't touching, but close enough that it could easily change.

They sat in relative silence for a few moments as they gazed up at the sky.

Kagome's voice broke the quiet.

"How are your wounds?" she asked. "I didn't have a chance to look at them today."

Inuyasha glanced down at his covered chest. "They're fine, I think," he replied. "Nothing has bled today, so they're probably already scabbed up. I'll probably be back to normal in another day or two."

Kagome nodded, obviously relieved at his assurance.

"And you?" Inuyasha asked. "Are you okay after the whole having-your-soul-sucked-out thing?"

Kagome laughed. "It didn't quite get to that point, but yes, I'm okay."

They fell back into a silence.

"Inuyasha-"

"Kagome-"

They laughed at their simultaneous interruptions.

"Go ahead," Inuyasha encouraged.

Kagome smiled, soon going serious again before looking back at the sky.

"So...about earlier…"

Inuyasha looked at her, but her gaze remained on the stars above.

"With Kagura?" he asked. At Kagome's nod, Inuyasha frowned.

"Which part?" he prodded. "The part when you almost died or the part where you still almost died?"

Kagome laughed lightly. "I meant the part when you...well, when the Tessaiga transformed...and what you said right before it did."

Inuyasha thought back to the moment.

" _Just shut up and let me protect you!"_

He wanted so badly to touch her. "I meant it," he admitted, holding back to get a gage on her reaction. "I just...I wanted to keep you safe."

Kagome finally shifted her gaze from the sky to him. "And that made your sword transform?" she asked gently.

Inuyasha thought back to when they'd gone to the castle and Sesshomaru said that his sword was now ready to transform. _Was it because I've finally found someone to protect? Is it because...I love Kagome?_

Inuyasha knew it was true; it was almost _instinctive_.

"Yes," he finally said. "That was what Sesshomaru meant when he said that I would be able to make the sword transform." Inuyasha looked up to meet her gaze. "It's because of you, Kagome."

The captain's eyes widened at his confession. "What does that mean?"

_How can I answer her?_ Inuyasha brooded silently. _How can I explain any of this to her?_

"The Tessaiga didn't transform with Jakotsu," he began, "but when your life was at stake today...I just reacted."

"But why?" Kagome prodded. "Why now?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath. He needed to tell her the truth. They _needed_ to talk about it.

"Well, on the new moon," he began slowly, "I kissed you."

Kagome blushed before looking away from him. "Yeah, I remember."

Inuyasha's heart began to race as he prepared to lay it all out.

"I think that was it," he admitted.

Kagome whipped her head back to him with wide eyes. "But you regretted doing that," she replied. "I saw it on your face. I could _tell_."

"I didn't regret it!" he shot back. "You did, though!"

Kagome frowned. "No, I didn't! I wanted it and I wanted you!"

They froze, eyes locked on each other, as the truth finally came out.

"Wait, you _wanted_ it to happen?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "You brushed it off so easily. I figured you wanted to forget it ever happened."

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "You shouldn't make such intense assumptions," she scolded.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You're one to talk!" he replied harshly. "You took one look at me and pretended you could read my mind. You were _wrong_ , Kagome."

Kagome scoffed. "Fine," she said curtly. "So then why did you look so panicked? Why were you so tense and edgy? If it wasn't regret, what was it?"

Inuyasha growled. "I wanted to be with you!" he shouted. "That's why I was so tense! I was freaked out because I've never felt like this for anyone and I didn't know what to do or how to even tell you!"

Kagome was stunned into silence. Inuyasha could practically _see_ the thoughts whirling around her mind, but she stayed quiet.

"That kiss," he continued in a quieter voice, "and seeing you nearly die today...that's what triggered the Tessaiga's transformation. You, Kagome. It was you."

Kagome just looked at him, her blue eyes shining.

It took a few moments for her to finally move. When she did, she didn't disappoint.

She practically threw herself onto Inuyasha's lap and wasted no time in wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him deeply.

Not wanting to waste any more time by hesitating, Inuyasha fully returned her kiss and dragged her the rest of the way onto his lap.

Similar to the night of the new moon, he allowed his arms to wrap tightly around her in an attempt to get her as close to him as possible.

_I love her,_ he resolved silently. _I know now. I_ love _Kagome._

Any thought process shut off as Kagome tangled her fingers in his hair to kiss him deeper and more passionately.

Kissing her as a hanyo was vastly different than as a human. He didn't need to stop to take a breath and it was so much easier to sense her. Her scent was nearly overpowering with his sensitive nose, and the quiet sounds of her soft sighs throughout their kisses were ringing in his hanyo ears. It felt like the world would end if he stopped kissing her. Everything was so heightened and so _beautiful_. Just like Kagome herself.

Eventually, their kisses slowed and became calmer and less frantic, and Inuyasha loosened his arms around her as they parted. Kagome settled back and moved her hands from his hair to his cheeks to cup them gently.

"Me, too," she said in a shaky voice. "I want to be with you, too. When I thought you regretted it, I panicked like you did, and I made assumptions. I just...ugh, I'm sorry."

Inuyasha gently ran his hands up and down her back. "I'm sorry, too," he replied.

Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck again before leaning her head down to rest against him. He shifted her in his lap so he could hold her more comfortably before gently kissing her head.

"I should say thanks," Inuyasha said a moment later. "I needed you to be able to make the sword transform."

Kagome shook her head against him. "No," she hummed. "It was always inside of you. I think you just needed a little push."

Inuyasha chuckled and held her a bit closer.

"Kagome," he said, his voice soft. "You didn't give up on me. I don't know how or why, but you didn't, and I..." Making sure she knew how much he meant his somewhat scattered words, he gently pulled her up so he could look into her eyes before moving his hands to her cheeks, gently cupping them in his hands.

Her blue eyes bore into his as Inuyasha shook his head. "Will you let me stay?" he murmured. "After this is all over...will you let me stay with you on the ship?"

Kagome's eyes widened. "You actually want to stay? Really?"

Inuyasha nodded seriously. "If you'll still have me. Two sorta-youkai trying to make it through life in a world that hates us...it kinda makes sense that we would stay together after all this, right?"

Kagome smiled and laughed lightly. "Well, when you put it that way, I _guess_ so."

Her gaze soon went serious. "Since you started traveling with us," she began quietly, "everything has felt...brighter. I don't just mean the prophecy or the jewel or anything."

Inuyasha nodded. "I feel the same."

Kagome touched her forehead to his as her eyes drifted closed. "I want you to be happy," she murmured. "And I want you to laugh a lot. There's so much I want to do for you…and I'll always be by your side."

He gently pulled her down to kiss her again. Her small fingers delved into his hair again as she allowed him to guide their kisses.

When they made their way to camp later, Kagome kept a firm grip on his hand.

"Lay down with me?" she asked, emulating her request from the new moon.

Inuyasha nodded as they got comfortable on her blanket. He lay on his back before pulling her close to settle her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, sharing his warmth.

Kagome sighed happily as she nestled against him.

They rested quietly for a few minutes until Inuyasha heard her quietly humming the youkai lullaby.

He moved his hand to her hair, gently running his claws through the locks.

"You're gonna be the death of me, woman," he murmured gently. Kagome paused her humming as she laughed lightly against him.

"I could say the same about you," she replied teasingly as she gently ran her hand up and down his chest. "I don't know what tomorrow will be like." Her admittance was soft and vulnerable.

"We'll fix everything," Inuyasha assured her. "We'll find Kaede and we'll figure this out, okay?"

Kagome nodded against him. "Thank you," she said quietly.

She resumed humming the lullaby, allowing a few words to softly escape every few moments.

Inuyasha's eyes drifted closed at the sound of her quiet voice. He let it calm him, ease him, and he wished he could do something even half as comforting for her.

So he resigned to lightly dragging his claws up and down her back in a soothing gesture. She sighed happily again as his gentle touch lulled her into slumber.

They soon fell asleep, allowing themselves a few precious moments to relish in peace and comfort.

To be continued…


	10. Discoveries and Alliances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: violence, graphic depictions of blood
> 
> Hi, friends! Please note the trigger warning; it gets a bit graphic in this chapter. If that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to message me so I can direct you on how to skip through that part.

**Chapter 10: Discoveries & Alliances**

Kagome's senses were overwhelmed by the man above her.

His mouth lingered on her lips, cheeks, and neck as he peppered seemingly never-ending kisses all over her.

She did little more than take what he was giving while occasionally reaching up to lovingly rub one of his dog ears. He pressed her down into her mattress, his attention on her never faltering.

"Inuyasha," she breathed. Most of her thought process went away when he kissed her; her mind always centered completely on the hanyo as he gently ran his hands up and down her back or tangled his claws in her hair.

When he pulled away with a final searing kiss, he looked down at her and smiled. It was a crooked little grin that showed Kagome he knew _exactly_ what he did to her.

She smiled back at him and reached up to gently cup his cheeks. She'd never really expected Inuyasha to be so affectionate, but there was no way she would ever complain about this pleasant, unexpected turn of events.

"Kagome," he murmured as he gently lowered himself to carefully lay his head on the spot above her heart. She could practically _feel_ his smug smirk; she knew he could hear the wild pounding of her heart.

She wrapped her arms around him again and pulled him closer as he shifted to lay comfortably on her.

It was how their recent nights tended to end. Kagome would sing the lullaby until he kissed her. He would shower her with his lips until they could both hardly breathe before curling up next to each other in her bed. When she would wake up in the morning, Inuyasha would still be there with a firm grip around her waist.

Kagome ran her fingers through his hair as she heard him breathe a content sigh.

They'd been back on the ship for three days, and Inuyasha very rarely left her side. He would sneak kisses when they were alone or gently rub her back as they lay in her bed at different points during the day.

It had been a little awkward between them at first; neither really knew how to proceed. They'd exchanged shy little smiles on the way back to the ship the morning after they kissed, but that was it. Inuyasha had said a simple good night to her that first evening, leaving her to lay awake nearly all night wondering what would happen.

The next day, Kagome had finally just kissed him again, making her intentions known. He'd come down to meet her in her quarters soon after breakfast, and given how quick Inuyasha had been to reciprocate her kiss, she figured it had been his original intention when he'd come to see her.

With everything that was going on, Kagome didn't want to waste anymore time not _being_ with him. She knew he must have felt the same way.

Kagome couldn't quite tell if Miroku and Sango had picked up on it. She figured they probably had; Miroku _had_ to have noticed that Inuyasha had only slept in Miroku's room once since they'd returned from the monastery. Knowing his gossipy tendencies, he had probably told Sango, too.

If Shippo started asking where Inuyasha had been at night, she would tell Miroku and Sango that yes, Kagome and Inuyasha were together, and yes, he was sleeping in her room at night. She knew she would get some teasing from the perverted monk, but technically she and Inuyasha hadn't done anything worth teasing, aside from their heated kissing sessions and nights spent in each other's arms.

They were now on their way to Kaede's town to check in on her. Kagome's worry had started overtaking a lot of her mind, but Inuyasha was always there to support her. In all this mess, she knew she had him.

When they had reached the ship from the monastery, Shippo had loved Kirara immediately. The little neko-youkai allowed the kitsune to hug her as she nuzzled against him as soon as the two had met.

"That's so cute!" Kagome said when she saw their instant bond. "I'm so glad you have a little youkai to play with now, Shippo."

"And give me a break," Inuyasha grumbled. Kagome glanced at him and chuckled furtively before smiling back down at the little youkai pair.

Kirara had hung rather close to Sango during their journey home, and Kagome could tell it comforted the woman. It was yet another small piece from her village, and despite finding Kirara a short distance away, it seemed like it was enough for Sango.

Sure enough, when Sango retired to her quarters that first night back, Kirara immediately followed her, and as far as Kagome knew, Kirara slept curled up with Sango every night.

Just like Kagome now did with Inuyasha.

Kagome zoned back in on the hanyo wrapped in her embrace. She resumed her gentle stroking of his silver hair as he tightened his arm around her waist.

"What are you thinking about?" he murmured, his lips tickling her skin. Kagome leaned her cheek on the top of his head.

"Just that I'm sure you're glad Shippo has given you a break," she teased. Inuyasha chuckled.

"Yeah," he agreed. "And I don't see you complaining about it either, huh?"

Kagome blushed. He had a point, though. With Shippo mostly sticking with Kirara, there were plenty of moments to steal with Inuyasha.

"You saw right through me," she replied. Inuyasha leaned up to kiss her chin before settling his head back down against her.

Kagome sighed, becoming serious. "We'll be at Kaede's town soon," she said quietly. "I don't really know what to expect."

Inuyasha gently traced his claws up and down her arm. "Whatever we find," Inuyasha began, "we can figure it out."

Kagome nodded against him and closed her eyes. "Are you gonna start wearing your Robe of the Fire Rat?" she asked with a yawn.

Inuyasha paused. "I don't know...maybe at some point, but probably not now." Kagome hummed.

"Okay," she said sleepily. "I bet you look good in it, though…" Inuyasha's chuckle reverberated on her skin.

She fell asleep to his gentle touches.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha could feel Kagome's anxiety radiating off of her; he was pretty sure the entire _crew_ could feel it.

It was the day they were set to dock at Kaede's town, and Kagome hadn't eaten a thing at breakfast or lunch. Inuyasha was surprised she had emerged from her quarters at all that day.

Miroku and Sango exchanged concerned glances with Inuyasha when Kagome passed her untouched lunch to Shippo. The captain smiled at the kitsune, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"We should reach the town in about an hour," Kagome informed them as they left the galley. "Shippo and Kirara need to stay here." At Shippo's immediate protest, Kagome gave him a firm look. "It's too dangerous for youkai to be around so many people."

Shippo didn't argue with her; he only wrapped his arms around her and curled up against her body. Kagome sighed and hugged him close.

Keeping her arms locked around Shippo, Kagome looked up to address Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha.

"We're going to keep a low profile," she explained. "No stopping at taverns or anything. We go straight to Kaede's house when we get there."

The others nodded in agreement. Inuyasha focused on the troubled woman in front of him, wishing he could comfort her.

"I need to send a message to Sesshomaru," he admitted instead. "I should've sent one sooner...he'll probably go all _daiyoukai_ on me."

"How will we send it to him?" Miroku asked.

"Mew."

The group looked down at the small neko-youkai who was looking up at them eagerly.

"You wanna take it to the daiyoukai?" Inuyasha asked. "His name is Sesshomaru. He's my half-brother."

Kirara mewed again in an obviously affirmative manner. Inuyasha looked up at Kagome to find her nodding.

"We can tie a note to her paw or something," Kagome suggested.

"She'll be able to get in the barrier since she's youkai," Inuyasha added. "You just have to stay hidden, got it?" If Kirara were a human, Inuyasha was pretty sure she would be rolling her eyes at his cautious warning.

"Great," Kagome said. "Thank you, Kirara. When we leave, we'll send you off, too."

Shippo gently tugged on Kagome's jacket. "Do I still have to stay here?" he asked.

Kagome sighed. "Yes, Shippo," she said, her voice radiating guilt. "I need you to be safe, okay? We don't want anything to happen to you."

As if knowing Kagome wasn't going to change her mind, Shippo just hugged her again.

Kagome returned his hug before gently pulling him off of her lap.

"Okay," she began, "we need to go get our stuff and prepare to leave. Let's go ahead and do that."

They parted ways to gather their belongings. When Inuyasha followed Miroku to his quarters, he glanced at Kagome to give her a very obvious _I'll be right there_ look. She half-smiled, so he knew she understood.

After Inuyasha had gathered his bag, he slipped out of Miroku's room and made his way to Kagome's quarters.

He knocked on the door and entered when Kagome's aura welcomed him in.

Inuyasha found her sitting on her bed, her newly packed bag at her feet. When she looked up at Inuyasha, he could see how much she was trying to hide her uneasiness.

"Hey," she greeted calmly. Inuyasha came to sit down on the bed next to her.

"Come here," he said as he opened his arms.

Kagome wasted no time in scooting over into his waiting embrace. He wrapped his arms around and allowed her ocean scent to wash over him.

"I'm okay," Kagome assured, her voice muffled by his shirt. "Just...overwhelmed. I'm worried about Kaede and if Naraku has gotten to her." She sighed. "And if he didn't, how does he know everything?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "We'll get through this," he replied. "Telling you not to worry isn't gonna help anyone, so I'll just say we're all here for you." He gently pulled away to look down at her.

Using his hand to carefully cup her chin to move her gaze up to his, he smiled down at her.

"Okay?" he said, gold eyes clashing with blue ones.

Kagome finally smiled and nodded. Inuyasha pressed a kiss to her forehead before wrapping her in his embrace again.

He was surprised to feel her laugh against him a few moments later.

"What's funny?" he asked. Kagome pulled away again, mirth evident on her features.

"I was just thinking about the last time we went to see Kaede," Kagome replied. "This is very different from then."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes but couldn't hide his smile. "Yeah," he said as he reached out to capture her cheeks in his hands as he gently touched his forehead to hers. "Very different."

O.o.O.o.O

Sango sat at her desk trying to compose the note for Sesshomaru. _I literally know nothing about him,_ Sango realized. _It would be better if Kagome wrote this, but she seems like she's got a lot on her mind._

Sango eventually decided to write the note and just run it past Kagome before they sent Kirara off. The neko-youkai was sleeping peacefully in a ball on Sango's lap. The woman smiled and gently ran her hand over the cat's back.

Sango found herself constantly comforted by Kirara's presence. She was a living relic from her village and even from Kagome's miko heritage.

As if sensing her thoughts, Kirara lifted her head to look at Sango.

"Mew," Kirara cooed.

Sango smiled. "We've got a big job for you, huh?" she said. "I would offer to go with you, but I'm human. The daiyoukai probably wouldn't like that. Inuyasha will tell you how to find him when we send you off."

A knock came at her door. Turning around in her chair, Sango called for whomever it was to enter the room.

The door opened to reveal Miroku standing there. He smiled at Sango before entering the room. He closed the door behind him and walked straight toward her.

"What are you doing?" Sango asked suspiciously. Miroku didn't answer her; instead, he carefully picked Kirara up from Sango's lap and put her on the bed.

Kneeling down in front of her, he grabbed Sango's hands and held them tightly in his grasp. The woman gasped in surprise as Miroku focused completely on her. His violet eyes stared into her own, a distinct resolve and determination evident in them.

"Tell me what you want, Sango," Miroku said, his voice soft despite the intensity of his gaze. He was barely a breath away. If he just leaned up a little bit...

Sango stared up at him, mouth agape. "What I...what do you mean?" she asked.

Miroku brought one hand up to cup her cheek. "Do you want me?" he asked. "Me, Sango. You know how I feel. Am I the one you want? Here and now, just the two of us, tell me what you want."

The memory of him comforting her so perfectly when she was injured, when they were at her village, and honestly during the last eleven years, flooded her mind.

She'd fallen asleep near the monastery with her hand tightly grasped in his. He hadn't brought it up the next morning and neither had she.

Sango figured it was just from the situation in which they'd found themselves. Miroku was never _just_ a hand-holder. It was always her butt or something else perverted.

Throughout Sango's inner turmoil, Miroku remained silent. He just looked at her, patiently waiting.

Fear, desire, excitement, and dread filled her. _I do want him,_ she mused. _So badly, but…_

"Are you going to keep grabbing my butt at inappropriate times?" she asked, ignoring his question. "Or _any_ part of my body when it's not welcome?" Miroku froze.

"Uh, well…"

Sango pulled her hands out of his. "There's your answer," she replied. "When you start keeping your hands to yourself on your own accord, then we'll see."

Searching her eyes, Miroku finally nodded. "Alright," he said. "You know how I feel. If that's what it's going to take to win you over, I'll do it."

Eyes widening, Sango was shocked into silence. "Okay," she replied coolly. "We'll see how that goes." She paused. "What brought this on? Seems a little random to me."

Miroku shrugged. "I figure everyone on this ship is pairing off," he explained as he stood up, "so maybe we should, too." Sango frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Miroku smirked. "You mean you haven't noticed Kagome and Inuyasha?" Sango shook her head. She didn't know of anything else aside from what Kagome had told her in the hot springs near her old village.

The monk chuckled. "Well, I'll just say he's only slept in my quarters _once_ since we returned to the ship. What does that tell you?"

_Finally,_ Sango thought, relieved. _I wonder how that happened...maybe Kagome will tell me about it later._

"That's great," Sango replied. "I'm happy for them." Miroku nodded in agreement.

"Anyway," Sango began, "how are you? Are you alright from the monastery?"

Miroku shrugged. "Yes," he replied. "I was hoping to find something, but, well, it's okay. I have everything I need now. I guess I just needed a reminder of it." At his meaningful look, Sango blushed.

"Alright, monk," Sango said. "Go get your stuff together. I still need to pack my bag."

Giving her a good-natured smile, Miroku nodded again. "I'll see you later," he replied as he left the room.

When he was gone, Sango took a deep breath. Looking over to see Kirara peering at her, Sango couldn't help but smile.

_If that cat could talk,_ Sango realized, _she would probably be the sassiest person on this ship._

O.o.O.o.O

They set off soon after the moment Kagome had with Inuyasha in her quarters. The rest of the crew wished them well as they departed from the ship.

Much like last time, Kagome stopped to change into her usual clothing for when they traveled off the ship. Since Sango was with them, she did the same.

As Kagome was running her fingers through her hair, she felt eyes on her. Glancing up, she saw Inuyasha looking at her, a small smile on his face. She smiled back at him in a very obvious _you like what you see?_ manner. He just shook his head and chuckled.

As they made their way into the town, Kagome's nerves began to get the best of her. She had no idea what they would find or if Kaede had been harmed.

They walked silently until they came upon Kaede's home. To Kagome's surprise, Inuyasha stopped her before she could knock on the door.

She looked back at him and frowned. "What?"

Inuyasha grimaced. "I smell blood," he admitted. "We need to be prepared for something...gruesome." Kagome's eyes widened.

Not even bothering to knock, Kagome rushed into the house with the others quickly following after her.

The scent assaulted her nose, nearly making her physically ill. Her sense of smell was fairly heightened, although not as much as Inuyasha's, but she didn't need a youkai nose to pick up on the ferocious smell of blood in the house. Inuyasha had already taken to covering his nose with his shirt as he looked around the living room.

It was empty.

Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha. "What room?" she asked, panicked. Inuyasha nodded to the hallway.

"Down there," he replied. Kagome rushed off in the direction he'd pointed.

_Must be her bedroom,_ she realized.

The door was cracked, allowing the stench to permeate throughout the house.

"Kaede?" Kagome said as she approached the door.

Silence.

Fearing the worst, Kagome opened the door. The smell overwhelmed her.

Kagome gasped.

There was blood all over the room. It coated the floor and the blanket on Kaede's unmade bed. Kagome looked around the room frantically, but there was no sign of Kaede.

"Where is she?" Kagome shrieked.

Inuyasha set a hand on her arm. "Under the bed," he replied. "I'm sorry, Kagome, but that's where the killer probably left her."

Kagome rushed over the bed and fell on her knees. Sure enough, Kaede's mangled body was shoved haphazardly under the bed.

" _No!"_ Kagome cried.

Silent tears streaked down her cheeks as Inuyasha knelt beside her.

"Do you want me to pull her out?" he asked gently. "There might be a clue." Unable to speak, Kagome nodded.

As Inuyasha began pulling Kaede out, Sango dropped to her knees to pull Kagome into a comforting embrace.

Kagome melted into her immediately, wrapping her arms around her and clutching her tightly as Inuyasha slowly pulled Kaede out from under the bed.

She was covered in blood, but it was very obviously from a single wound. Inuyasha carefully laid Kaede on her back, carefully closing her lifeless eyes.

There was a deep gash from Kaede's left shoulder to her right hip. It was the only visible wound, but it had very obviously cut completely through Kaede's body. Her skin had obviously already begun to decompose, and Kagome suspected she'd been dead for quite a while.

Kagome squeezed Sango once more before moving away to inspect Kaede.

"The wound," she said in a wavering voice. "It looks familiar."

Miroku knelt down to observe it as well.

"It looks like it could be from Banktosu's Banryu," he noted. "Which means Bankotsu was most likely the one to do this, especially since he had ties to Naraku."

Kagome looked away, squeezing her eyes shut. "She's been dead for a long time then. That must be how Bankotsu found out. He must have informed Naraku. Kaede has been in hiding all these years, but she was finally discovered." Kagome shook her head. "All because of the prophecy…"

Inuyasha's arms wrapped around her from behind as he pulled her into his warm embrace.

"Do you want us to bury her?" he asked gently. Kagome nodded.

"We can bury her in the backyard," she replied. "Her house is far enough away from the neighbors. We won't be seen."

The group fell into a somber silence as Inuyasha grabbed the blood-soaked blanket from the bed. Sango gently pulled Kagome away from Kaede so Inuyasha and Miroku could wrap her up.

It was a quiet affair as they made their way outside through the back door. Kagome found a few shovels, and they soon began the process of digging the grave and carefully lowering Kaede into it. They made quick work in burying her.

All the while, Kagome's tears continued to fall. Inuyasha held her close as they quietly paid their respects. Kagome sniffled and wiped away her tears before taking a deep breath.

"This is all the more reason to destroy Naraku," she said gruffly. "He will pay for this. The Band of Seven will pay for this. I won't rest until we've destroyed them." She gently pulled away from Inuyasha. "Let's go. We have a mission to finish."

With that, she walked back into the house, not waiting to see if the others were following her.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha had to admit he was a little shaken up from seeing Kaede's body. He'd only met the woman once, but seeing her murdered in that manner made him regret how rude he'd been to her.

She was the last of Kagome's flesh and blood. That alone was enough to fill him with regret and renew his resolve to destroy Naraku.

After they'd buried Kaede, they'd rinsed off their dirty hands before leaving the house. They'd barely made it a few meters when Kagome paused.

She looked around and frowned. "I sense two jewel shards," she said quickly. "It's gotta be two members of the Band of Seven. They must be lingering in the village waiting for us to show up."

Kagome took off running in the direction of the jewel shards. She raced down Kaede's road until they reached a secluded area devoid of any houses.

Kagome halted, feeling the presence actually coming _towards_ them. She grabbed an arrow from her quiver and knocked it on the arrow, preparing for a fight.

"It's not anyone from the Band of Seven," Inuyasha said as he came up to stand beside her. "It's not even a human."

Kagome frowned and lowered her bow. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Inuyasha sniffed the air. "It's a youkai," he replied. "And by the disgusting stench, I would say it's a wolf."

Eyes widening, Kagome shook her head. "How would a random youkai get _two_ shards of the jewel?" she asked.

"How far away is the youkai?" Sango asked.

"Close," Miroku replied. "The aura is coming at us. It's insanely fast...I almost can't believe it."

Inuyasha began growling beside Kagome as the aura became closer and closer. All at once, the aura stopped moving, but it was the closest it had been. Kagome looked around, figuring the youkai was hiding in one of the trees.

"Come out here!" Kagome demanded. "We know you're there. We just want to talk."

Inuyasha flared his aura, allowing the youkai to feel that he was a youkai as well.

"Keep your aura hidden," he murmured to Kagome. "Youkai don't just run toward humans. There's gotta be something wrong with this one, and I don't just mean it's because he's a wolf." Kagome glanced at him, curious about his blatant disgust at wolf-youkai.

She ignored it, instead focusing on the aura.

Soon enough, something jumped down from a tree. It was very obviously the youkai in a humanoid form. He had piercing blue eyes with a very cocky gleam, long black hair pulled up into a ponytail, and a wolf tail flicking from his brown attire.

"An inu-youkai?" the wolf called in a gruff, seemingly amused voice. "You got yourself a human master, eh? I thought your kind died out aside from the daiyoukai."

Inuyasha growled. "You're an idiot, wolf!" he shouted. "Who approaches humans so easily?"

The wolf laughed as he walked toward them. "I'm not the one traveling with them," he retorted easily. "Or _smelling_ so much like one of them. Tell me, mutt, have you fallen in love with a human woman?"

Inuyasha blushed, as did Kagome.

"I have to say, though," the wolf continued, "I'm certainly starting to fall for her myself. She's beautiful...for a human."

Kagome glared at him. "How dare you?!" she shouted. Despite Inuyasha's warning, she released her aura and flared it at him.

The wolf only laughed. "Ah, I see now," he said. "You're part-youkai. That must be what the mutt sees in you."

Inuyasha moved to stand in front of Kagome. "Get out of here, scrawny wolf boy," he said menacingly. "We have laws against killing each other, but nobody said I can't rough you up a bit."

Kagome tugged on his sleeve. "He has jewel shards," she reminded him dryly. "We have to get them from him."

"Jewel shards?" the wolf repeated. Kagome nodded.

"Yeah," she replied harshly. "Now hand them over."

The wolf only paused before rushing to her.

Before either of them knew it, the wolf had shoved Inuyasha away before taking Kagome's hands into his own.

"A beautiful, _spunky_ youkai," he cooed. "I'm gonna make you my woman."

Kagome's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "I don't- _excuse_ me?"

Inuyasha ran at him, fists at the ready, but the wolf easily dodged them.

"Let me introduce myself, beautiful," he said easily. "The name's Koga. I'm the leader of one of the wolf tribes."

"We don't care," Inuyasha growled. "Just hand the shards over!"

Koga seemed genuinely confused. "I don't know what you're talking about, mutt," he replied. "Mind yourself. This doesn't concern you." He smiled at Kagome. "Now, what do you say? Will you allow yourself the privilege of being my woman?"

Kagome suddenly got an idea.

"Sure," she said in a sultry manner. "That actually sounds pretty great." Inuyasha's head snapped to her, the disbelief evident on his face.

" _What?"_ he shouted. Keeping focused on her plan, Kagome waved Inuyasha off.

"What do you say, Koga?" she said, keeping that sultry tone. "Let's seal it with a kiss, yeah?"

Koga's eyes lit up as he approached Kagome.

"Hey!" Inuyasha shouted. "Get away from her!"

Before he could charge Koga, Kagome reached up to cup the wolf's cheeks. She smiled sweetly before releasing a large amount of spiritual power into her palms.

Koga went flying backward before landing on the ground. He struggled to get up, but Kagome's paralysis charm kept him down.

"What did you do to me?" Koga shouted. "Are you some kind of witch?"

Kagome turned to smile at Inuyasha. "You didn't think I'd change my mind that quickly, did you?" she murmured in a quiet voice only Inuyasha would be able to hear.

The hanyo shook his head, a hesitant half-smile on his face.

_I might have to remind him of my feelings,_ she mused. _Later…_

The group approached Koga safely as Kagome's paralysis kept him down.

"There are shards in his legs," she announced as she reached down to pull them out. Koga yelped in protest, but was completely unable to fight Kagome's hands off.

Once she had them safely tucked in her pocket, she frowned down at Koga. "Explain yourself," she demanded. "How did you get these shards?"

Koga shook his head. "I'm telling you I don't know anything about 'shards,'" he repeated. "I stole them from two nasty specters."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Idiot wolf," he spat. "You just find something random and shove it in your legs? Stupid!"

Koga growled at him. "I do what I can to survive in this world," he shot back. "If it means killing dead people again and stealing whatever was keeping them alive, I'll do it."

"Dead people?" Kagome repeated. "What do you mean?"

Koga looked up at her. "The Band of Seven," he replied. "They were resurrected somehow. I could feel the power from their bodies, and since they were already dead, I just took them."

"So you destroyed _two_ of them?" Kagome asked incredulously. "Which ones?"

Koga thought for a moment. "Uh," he began, "it was Ginkotsu and Kyokotsu. They had those things in their necks."

Kagome exchanged a glance with her comrades. _So Koga doesn't know about the jewel,_ she concluded. _He just thinks the shards are just power-givers or something. Good...we don't need anyone else to know about the jewel and potentially go after it._

"Well, we need them," Kagome said. "So we'll be taking them."

Inuyasha smirked down at Koga and put his arm around Kagome's shoulders. "No hard feelings, scrawny wolf," he added condescendingly.

Koga growled. "Get your hands off my woman!"

Kagome frowned at Inuyasha, but she couldn't hide the amusement in her eyes.

"I'll leave the charm on until we're gone," Kagome announced to her friends. "Let's go."

A moment after they'd turned around to leave, Koga shouted after them.

"Wait!" he called. "Don't you wanna hear what they had to say about Captain Higurashi?"

Kagome froze, as did her friends. They all exchanged concerned looks before Kagome turned back to face Koga.

"What do you know?" she asked. _He doesn't know it's me…so what could he possibly know?_

"What do you know?" Kagome asked.

She could practically see Koga smirking. "Let me up first, beautiful, and then I'll tell you."

Kagome grimaced, but didn't see much of a choice. Sighing, she released the charm and allowed Koga to get up. The wolf stretched his limbs before smiling at her.

"Ginkotsu and Kyokotsu had quite a bit to say," he began. "They didn't notice me there, so I heard quite an earful before I attacked."

Kagome's eyes widened. "What did they say?" _This could be our chance to find out something about Naraku. We don't even know where he is or what the deal was with his two henchwomen._

"I'll tell you what," Koga said. "You let me keep those two 'shards,' and I'll tell you."

Inuyasha growled. Biting her lip, Kagome turned to look at Miroku and Sango. She valued Inuyasha's opinion, but this was something she needed to consult the others about.

"What do you think?" she asked them. "Is it worth it?" Miroku hesitated.

"It depends on if we think he's trustworthy," he replied. "Maybe he could be an ally?"

Kagome nodded. "Youkai can't kill each other," she confirmed. "He won't kill Inuyasha or I because then he would be punished by Sesshomaru. I'll make it known that the law would extend to my crewmen."

Inuyasha gently tugged on her wrist. "We can't let him travel with us," he said seriously, "so how are we supposed to get the shards back in time to destroy Naraku?"

Kagome frowned. "What do you guys think?" she asked Miroku and Sango.

"I think that if we collect the shards from the rest of the Band of Seven," Sango began, "we should be okay with not having all of them at once."

Kagome nodded. "We would just be missing two," she replied. She lowered her voice. "We could always find Koga and take them back once we destroy Naraku."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha. "What do you think?"

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment. "I'll go along with what you think is right," he finally replied. He looked displeased by the thought, but Kagome figured he knew they needed to take advantage of the opportunity.

"Fine," she said as she addressed the wolf again. "You have a deal."

Koga smirked. "Apparently, Higurashi has been traipsing around as a man for ten years," he said. "But _he_ is actually a _she._ The Band of Seven is looking for a short woman with blue eyes and the inu-hanyo himself." He looked pointedly at Kagome. "That's you, I presume?"

Kagome grimaced. "Yes," she admitted. "But…you can't tell anyone that. Sesshomaru already knows, but I would rather other youkai didn't."

Inuyasha growled. "We already knew Naraku knew about that," he interjected. "So you didn't tell us anything we didn't already know."

He tugged on Kagome's arm. "Let's get out of here. He's useless."

"I know where Naraku is," Koga added. "Wouldn't you like to hear that?"

Kagome gently shrugged off Inuyasha's arm. "Yes," she replied immediately. "Tell us."

"He's hiding out in a castle in the south," he said. "He's not even on the sea. His two cronies, Kagura and Kanna, are patrolling in a ship. They heard through the jewel that you all were going to the monastery. I'm assuming you've already been there."

Kagome nodded. "Yes, and we were attacked," she confirmed. "They must be on the seas again. They left after Inuyasha got in a good hit on Kagura."

"Yep," Koga confirmed with a click of his tongue. "So hand over the magic things now. I have my own vendetta against Naraku and those will be useful when I kill him."

Kagome's eyes widened. "What did he do to you?"

Koga looked away, the cocky smirk falling from his face. "He destroyed a vast majority of my comrades. I want revenge."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Be our ally," she blurted. "We're after Naraku, too. We can work together."

Inuyasha immediately began to protest, but Kagome stopped him with a hand on his chest. "The prophecy is you and me," she said softly, "but we could still use help."

Inuyasha looked at her, and upon seeing her resolve, nodded. "Fine."

Kagome dropped her hand and looked at Koga. "Well?" she asked. "What do you say? We'll give the jewel shards back to you."

Koga thought for a moment. "Yeah, alright," he agreed. "I'm on my way to find the other wolf tribes. We're going to attack together. I don't see why we can't join forces."

Kagome smiled. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "We appreciate it."

Koga narrowed his eyes. "I need you to explain some stuff, though," he replied. "Why are you after Naraku? And what's the deal with this whole jewel thing?"

With an encouraging nod from her friends, Kagome figured she should just fill him in on the jewel, as well as the prophecy. She recounted the confrontations with Kagura and Kanna, as well as Bankotsu and Jakotsu. She included what had happened that day with Kaede, swallowing down the lump in her throat as she spoke.

"So Jakotsu is dead, too, huh?" Koga asked. "And Bankotsu. That's quite a tale, but if it gets us closer to killing Naraku, I'm all in." He smirked at Kagome. "Who knows? Maybe by the end of this, you'll fall in love with me."

Inuyasha growled. "Don't kid yourself," he warned menacingly.

Koga laughed. "So territorial, mutt," he chided. "Don't you think she deserves a real man?"

Inuyasha scoffed. "You don't even know her name, idiot!"

Pausing as if realizing he actually didn't know her name, Koga smiled at Kagome sweetly. "What's your name, beautiful?" he asked.

"It's Kagome," she replied. "You know Inuyasha." She nodded to Miroku and Sango. "And they're Miroku and Sango."

Koga nodded. "Kagome," he repeated. "A gorgeous name for a gorgeous woman." He smirked. "Our cubs will be devastatingly beautiful."

Inuyasha lunged.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted as she grabbed onto his arms. She tapped into her youkai strength and hauled him back. "Get it together!"

Inuyasha relaxed, but didn't drop his glare at Koga. When she figured he wouldn't try to go after the wolf again, Kagome released him.

"So do we have a deal?" Kagome asked. Koga nodded a confirmation.

"It'll take me awhile to gather up my other tribesmen," he informed her. "We can all run fast and for days at a time, but we still won't make it to the castle for about two weeks."

Kagome nodded. "We have to get back to our ship anyway," she replied. "Where exactly is the castle? We can meet you there."

Koga explained a bit more where the castle was, and after Kagome had gotten a good enough grip on where it was, she smiled at Koga.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "We appreciate it."

Koga took her hands in his and kissed them. "Anything for you, my darling," he cooed. "After Naraku is destroyed, I will have you as my own."

Kagome snatched her hands away before Inuyasha could do any bodily damage to Koga.

"We'll see you in a week then," she said. "We'll be going now."

Koga nodded and grew serious. "I'm sorry about your aunt," he said. "That's a rough way to go."

Not wanting to focus on Kaede's death, Kagome just nodded and handed Koga the two jewel shards. "Thanks. See ya."

"Wait," Inuyasha said. Everyone paused, their attention going to him.

"Are you going north?" he asked Koga. Koga nodded.

"Yeah, there's a tribe up there," he replied. "Why?"

"Find Sesshomaru," he said. "Tell him what's happening. One of our comrades sent him a message, but we need him to know about Naraku's location as well as our plan."

Koga nodded. "I can do that."

"Thank you, Koga," Kagome said. "We'll see you later."

"You're welcome, my love," Koga replied. "My heart will be empty until I next see you."

Kagome grimaced. "Uh, okay," she replied. "Bye."

Inuyasha gave a parting growl to Koga before turning to follow Kagome. Miroku and Sango gave a few parting calls to Koga before catching up with them.

They walked back into the town in silence. After Kagome and Sango had changed, they returned to the ship and were greeted by a happy Shippo.

"Has Kirara not returned yet?" Kagome asked. Shippo nodded.

"She's sleeping in Sango's room," Shippo explained. "She was tired from the trip to see Sesshomaru. She delivered the note, though. Sesshomaru sent a response."

Shippo gave the note to Inuyasha. After scanning the paper, Inuyasha grimaced.

"What does it say?" Kagome asked.

"Keh," he scoffed. "He's just being a jerk like usual. Apparently he and Asahi got married in a private ceremony a few days after we left the castle. She's _pregnant_ now."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Inuyasha…"

He waved off her concern. "It's alright. I'll be fine."

Kagome eyed him, not quite believing him, but she left it alone. _We can always talk in my quarters later,_ she reminded herself. _I think it's gonna be a long night…we'll need the comfort._ Both _of us will._

Once they'd set sail again, Kagome sighed and addressed Miroku and Sango. "I think Sango and I need to tell the crew about our secret," she said quietly. "They're bound to find out eventually now that we're about to attack Naraku."

They nodded their agreement.

"Great," Kagome said. "We'll tell them at dinner, which should be soon. We missed lunch…"

"I don't think any of us are really hungry," Miroku admitted. Sango nodded, as did Inuyasha.

Kagome sighed. "Okay. Rest a bit if you want. We have a long evening ahead of us."

Miroku and Sango departed from the deck with Shippo to find Kirara and check in on her. When it was just Kagome and Inuyasha left, the hanyo furtively brushed his hand against hers.

"Do you want to rest?" he asked. Kagome shook her head.

"No," she replied. "Maybe we can go up on the top deck? I just need to breathe."

Inuyasha nodded and followed her up. It was the spot where they normally bumped into each other, and it filled Kagome with an unexpected warmth.

Inuyasha glanced around before quickly kissing her. At her surprised look, he smiled.

"No one was looking," he said. "And I figured you could use it."

Kagome smiled back. "Thanks. I did." She sighed and looked out at the water. Leaning her hands on the edge of the ship, she closed her eyes and allowed the salty aroma of the water to cleanse her senses. The blood still lingered in her nose, and she figured it was probably even worse for Inuyasha.

She heard Inuyasha hop up on the edge and quickly pull her up to sit next to him. With their hands hidden between them, Inuyasha laced his fingers with hers.

They sat in a comforting silence until Inuyasha said he picked up on the scent of dinner. With her mind a little clearer from breathing in the sea breeze, Kagome nodded and followed him down the galley.

Kagome's heart began to race as she remembered her resolve. The secret she'd been keeping for ten years was about to be revealed. She knew her crewmen wouldn't change their opinions of her, but it was still _terrifying_.

One glance at Sango told Kagome she was feeling the same way.

Once everyone had their meal, Kagome rose from the table and turned around so everyone could see her.

"Men!" she called. "Can I please have your attention?"

Her crewmen immediately quieted down and politely set their attention on Kagome. With their gazes all on her, Kagome took a deep breath.

"I need to explain to you all what we discovered today," she announced. She informed them on their discovery of Kaede, as well as their new alliance with Koga.

Once she'd finished that, she paused. _Now or never…_

"We are coming up on our goal," she continued. "Secrets will be revealed, and there are two secrets you all should know right now."

Glancing at Sango, Kagome motioned for her to rise as well. The two disguised women looked out at the crew.

"Sango and I have been in disguise all this time," she announced as she took her hat off and pulled the pin out. Sango did the same as they both revealed their long hair. "We are women."

Kagome wasn't entirely sure what she was expecting from the crew, but calm, unsurprised faces definitely wasn't it.

"Um," Kagome said, "please feel free to speak your minds or share your opinions. We apologize for the deceit, but given the circumstances of this world…well…we felt there was no choice."

The chef soon stood up as well and glanced at his fellow crewmen.

"Captain," he began, "I don't know how to tell you this, but…we already knew you two were women."

Kagome's jaw dropped.

"What?" she asked in disbelief. "How?"

The chef shrugged. "You all were careful, but we could tell about a year into you taking over our ship. Someone heard you and Sango talking about it, and, well, word spreads."

Kagome couldn't help it; she laughed.

Sango soon joined in, and then Miroku, and then the rest of the crew.

Inuyasha just looked at them like they were crazy.

When they'd finally calmed down from their laughing fit, Kagome smiled at her crew. "Well, I guess that's settled then," she said. "My name is Kagome, by the way. Higurashi is made up. Also, I'm a miko...and part-youkai…"

Her crewmen actually seemed surprised at the last two confessions, but they just laughed again. "We support you, Captain," the chef said. " _All_ of us. Nothing could change that."

After the emotional day she'd had, Kagome was beginning to find it more and more difficult to keep her tears from falling.

"Thank you all," she said sincerely. "For everything. We will soon meet our goal, and we will restore peace to this world. We will defeat Naraku."

The crewmen broke out into cheers before the chef held up his drink.

"A toast," he announced, "to Kagome. Our captain, now and forever."

"Hear, hear!" everyone called.

Kagome smiled brightly. _That's a relief…_

Later that night, Kagome felt hope brewing inside of her as everyone decided to retire for the night.

She gave Inuyasha a subtle look, inviting him to come to her quarters when he could. He nodded before following Miroku and Shippo to Miroku's quarters.

Sango hung back with Kagome.

"So it's nice to not have to wear hats all the time," Sango mentioned. Kagome laughed.

"You're right about that," she replied.

Sango smiled. "So…you and Inuyasha. I take it you guys made up?"

Kagome blushed. "Um…yes, we did." Laughing lightly, Sango gently nudged the captain.

"Are you together yet?" she teased. "Inuyasha was certainly protective of you earlier. And if Koga smelled you on him…hmm…"

Kagome laughed. "Okay, yes," she admitted. "We're together." Sango squealed and hugged Kagome.

"I'm happy for you," she said. "After everything…I'm just so happy for you."

Kagome hugged her back tightly. "Thanks, Sango. You know, Miroku sure has been patient. Maybe it might be time to give him a shot?"

Sango pulled back, a small blush on her face. "Maybe," she replied. Kagome was surprised. Sango had always flat-out denied or rejected any sort of potential relationship with Miroku, but Kagome was glad she sounded a little more open.

"Well, I'm gonna head to bed now," Sango said as she hugged Kagome quickly once more. "Good night."

Kagome smiled and waved. "Good night."

Smiling still on her face, she made her way to her quarters to wait for Inuyasha.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha was walking down the corridor toward Kagome's room. It had taken a little while, but he'd finally managed to subtly leave Miroku's quarters. He was ready to get to Kagome.

"Hey."

Inuyasha turned around to see Miroku behind him.

"Uh, hi," Inuyasha replied. _Dang, he must have followed me out…_

Miroku smirked. "On your way to see the captain?"

Inuyasha hesitated. "Uh...yeah. Are you?" Miroku shook his head, but the smirk remained.

"I was actually coming to talk to _you_ ," Miroku said. "And given the last few nights, I figured you would be heading there."

Inuyasha blushed. "Listen, we're not-"

Miroku held his hand up. "I'm not judging," he said sincerely. "I'm happy for you, really. I think you're good together."

Despite his embarrassment, Inuyasha smiled. "Thanks," he replied. "Me, too. So what did you need me for?"

"I was just gonna see if you wanted help moving your stuff to the captain's quarters," Miroku explained. "I figure it'll be easier to have it all in there so you don't have to go back and forth between my quarters and hers." Inuyasha hesitated.

_I've been sleeping there,_ he mused, _but Kagome never said anything about me being in there permanently…_

"I might wait on that," Inuyasha finally replied. "I'll talk with the captain first."

Miroku nodded. "Just let me know," he said with a parting wave. "Good night." Inuyasha nodded.

"Night," he replied as he made his way back to Kagome's quarters. _I wonder what she would think if I asked her about it...at least we're sure Miroku knows now. Kagome will probably want to tell Sango._

When he entered Kagome's quarters, he found her already laying down under the covers in her bed. Upon seeing him, she smiled and held her arms out.

Inuyasha chuckled and kicked his shoes off before joining her under the blanket and folding himself into her waiting embrace. He kissed her quickly as he settled himself against her.

"Miroku knows about us," he said, getting right to the point. "I just saw him."

To Inuyasha's surprise, Kagome laughed lightly. "Sango knows, too," she admitted. "She asked me earlier."

Inuyasha chuckled. "It was only a matter of time anyway." Kagome wrapped her arms around him and soon found his lips.

It was a short kiss; she pulled away and curled up against him. "Will you hold me?" she asked quietly.

Inuyasha smiled as he tightened his arms around her. "I always do," he teased lightly. Kagome sighed against him.

"It's been a long day," she murmured. Inuyasha ran his claws through her hair.

"I know," he replied softly. "I'm sorry." Kagome shook her head against him.

"It's okay," she assured him. "We made progress. I just…Kaede died alone."

Inuyasha felt her small body begin to shake as she finally dissolved into quiet sobs.

"Kagome," he murmured as he sat up and pulled her into his lap. She curled up against him and buried her face in his chest. The warmth of her tears covered Inuyasha's shirt as he gently ran his hands up and down her back, allowing her to cry as she needed.

When her body finally stilled, Inuyasha leaned back to look down at her.

"Better?" he asked. Kagome sat up and nodded as she wiped at her cheeks. Her eyes widened when she saw Inuyasha's shirt.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly. Inuyasha glanced down and saw that his shirt was soaked in tears.

He chuckled. "It's okay," he replied as he pulled the shirt up and took it off. At the sight of his bare chest, Kagome shrieked.

Smirking, Inuyasha reached out to tuck a lock of wild hair behind her ear.

"Like what you see?" he teased. Kagome hopped off his lap and back into bed, quickly pulling the covers up and over her head.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said, unable to hide the amusement in his voice. He carefully pulled the blanket down to reveal a blushing Kagome. She finally smiled up at him.

Inuyasha brushed the hair from her eyes as he pulled her back to curl up against him.

Her hair tickled his bare chest as she got comfortable. Her warm breath sent a shock through his system, as well as the few tears that lingered on her slightly-wet eyelashes.

Inuyasha ran his claws up and down her back in the way he knew she liked. She sighed and planted a kiss on his chest.

"So Asahi is pregnant," she said, catching Inuyasha off-guard by the sudden change in topic.

Golden eyes closed as Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh. Apparently."

Kagome ran her hand over his chest in comforting strokes. "Maybe we can visit when the baby is born."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Right because Sesshomaru will be so happy to have _two_ hanyo running around."

Sighing, Kagome's hand stilled on his chest. "Inuyasha," she began, "I'm sure having a hanyo child will change Sesshomaru's mind. He'll probably feel really regretful about treating you so badly."

_I guess she has a point,_ Inuyasha admitted silently. _But could it really be that easy?_

"Maybe," he finally conceded. "That's a long way away and we have other things to deal with first."

Kagome nodded and resumed her hand's movement on his chest.

"Okay," she replied. "That could be something good to come out of all this pain."

Inuyasha's eyes softened as he gently kissed Kagome's head. "You're right," he murmured gently.

"I don't think I'll be able to sing the lullaby tonight," Kagome admitted after a moment. "I'm sorry." Inuyasha shook his head against her.

"It's okay," he replied as they fell in a comfortable silence. The feel of her heart beating against his chest soothed him, the scent of the sea in her hair calmed him, the gentle stroke of her hand against his chest made him love her even more.

Before he knew it, he was the one singing the youkai lullaby.

Kagome froze as soon as he started singing, her hand stilling on his skin as he continued. Inuyasha knew he was no singer, so he hoped it wasn't too unpleasant for her to hear.

As he sang the lullaby with her wrapped in his arms, he felt his heart clench. The words of the lullaby resonated even more now that he loved Kagome and could hold her every night.

When he finished the song, he repeated the last few lines.

" _I'll be here in the morning,_

_Holding you close in the warming_

_Embrace of my arms._

_For I am yours,_

_And you are mine."_

When he finished, Kagome leaned back to look up at him. Her eyes searched his as he looked down at her, waiting for her to speak.

Kagome finally reached up to touch his cheek before gently guiding his face down to hers.

There was something different in this kiss. They'd kissed countless times by then, lingering kisses at night, quick ones snuck during the day, but never anything like this.

She settled her hands on his cheeks as her lips parted, revealing the beauty of her mouth. Inuyasha reveled in the taste he'd come to know so well as he gently moved to roll on top of her.

Kagome moved her arms to wrap around his neck to pull him closer. He pressed against her gently, molding himself to her.

Inuyasha ran his hands up the sides of her body before tangling his claws in her hair. She sighed into the kiss, her heartbeat pulsing against Inuyasha's chest.

He moved his hands to gently run over her arms as they tightened around his neck. Her skin was soft and soothing, her deep kisses filling him with something he'd never known before.

"I love you," he murmured against her lips before kissing her again.

Kagome jolted, accidentally biting his tongue.

Inuyasha pulled himself up and covered his mouth.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed. Kagome gasped and awkwardly patted his cheeks.

"I'm sorry!" she replied quickly. "It's just-you said-and..."

Inuyasha looked down at her, realizing what he'd said. He sat up and leaned away from her.

"Uh-well, I-"

"I love you, too," Kagome interrupted. "Please tell me you meant it. _Please_. I love you so much it _aches._ I don't know if I can-"

Inuyasha toppled back down on her and claimed her mouth in another heated kiss, effectively silencing her.

Her arms returned to his neck as she kissed him back.

"Kagome," he murmured as he moved his lips to her neck. "My Kagome…I love you." The words brushed over the tender skin of Kagome's throat as he continued peppering kisses wherever he could reach.

Kagome sighed as his lips gently lingered on her neck before moving back up to her mouth. He kissed her deeply a moment more before slowing. He brushed a final kiss to her mouth before pulling away to look down at her again.

She smiled up at him before tugging him back down once more to settle against her body. He pulled her close and held her more fervently than he ever had before.

Kagome sighed contentedly as Inuyasha lay his head down on the crook of her neck and gently ran his claws over her arm. Inuyasha heard her heart regain a steady rhythm as they lay peacefully holding each other in a pleasant silence long into the night.

To be continued…


	11. In Your Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note: I changed the timeline of the last chapter. There will now be two weeks between when the group meets Koga and when they will reconvene in the south. Sorry about that. I made a timing error so it's fixed now. The part where Koga says one week is changed so there won't be any confusion for new readers or people going back and re-reading :)
> 
> I hope you like this little prequel chapter! I figured it would be nice to know how Miroku and Sango got their start with each other and how they met Kagome. Also, I don't know the exact timeline of when monks become fully trained so I'm going based on what I've heard a few times about it through the years. Forgive me if I've made an error!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. All rights to Rumiko Takahashi.

**Chapter 11: In Your Eyes**

Legs burning, chest heaving, Miroku ran as fast as his feet could push him.

He didn't want to leave, he really didn't, but Mushin was dead...they were _all_ dead. The whole monastery was destroyed and Miroku was terrified at the idea that the youkai might return.

At fourteen-years-old, Miroku was a year past his official transition from apprentice to full-fledged monk. He'd shown tremendous promise since he was young, so he knew he'd be able to fight off an attack if the youkai returned.

But...that youkai killed his comrades. It killed Mushin...it killed a part of Miroku's heart, and he wasn't quite sure if he would ever be able to get that back.

Miroku was powerful, a true prodigy according to his mentors, but he just felt drained. His lifeline was gone. His _home_ was gone.

He was alone.

So he pushed himself forward as he continued to run away from the ruined monastery. He didn't have a destination, didn't have a goal, just wanted to get as far as possible.

When it became too difficult to see through the tears blurring his vision, he collapsed to the ground. Closing his eyes, he knelt and tried to catch his breath.

Weighing the options, he sat fully on the ground and tried to figure out what he should do.

_Grieve._

That's all he could think about doing.

O.o.O

Miroku didn't eat for a week.

Fasting was normal for monks, but this was a new kind. He physically _couldn't_ eat.

He drank water from nearby rivers as he wandered aimlessly through the forest. When he finally began to succumb to his hunger, he foraged for berries or fallen nuts from nearby trees.

Nine days after the monastery was destroyed, as Miroku was wandering through a forest, he came upon the first person he'd seen since setting off on his own.

It was a girl, probably around his age, with long, black hair pulled up into a ponytail. Miroku figured she was a taijiya given her attire. There were many rips in the clothing, as well as several blood stains.

"Hello?" Miroku called.

The woman froze before turning around to face him. Her eyes were hard, cold, with an underlying grief Miroku knew was reflected in his own violet eyes.

"Do you need help?" Miroku asked when the girl didn't respond. "Are you alone?"

The girl frowned and drew a sword from her hip. "That's none of your concern," she said menacingly. "Be on your way." Giving him one last glare, she turned and began walking away.

Unable to resist it, Miroku followed her.

"My name is Miroku," he called as he caught up with her. "What's yours?"

The girl whipped around and lunged as she brought the sword up again, dangerously close to his neck.

"I said be on your way," she snapped. "That doesn't mean follow me."

Her offense moved her closer to Miroku, allowing him to fully see the extent of _hurt_ in the girl's eyes.

Her frown never faltered, her eyes never left his, and even though her hand was steady on the hilt of her sword, Miroku knew she wouldn't harm him.

In an attempt to calm her, Miroku raised his hands where she could see them.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said calmly. "I'm alone, too. Do you need help? Are you injured? You're covered in blood."

The girl looked at him for a moment before sheathing her sword again.

"It's not my blood," she replied lowly. "Now I'll say it again… _be on your way."_

Miroku refused. "I have food," he offered. "I've been out here a while, so I've been able to collect-"

Eyes narrowing, the girl frowned. "I want nothing of yours," she interrupted.

When she turned around to leave, Miroku followed her silently. She wouldn't be able to complain about him speaking to her if he didn't say anything.

Miroku knew she was fully aware he was following her, but never looked back or told him to leave again.

Finally, after quite a while of walking, the girl huffed and came to a stop.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned around to glare at Miroku.

"What's your problem?" she asked. "Why are you following me?"

Her eyes pierced through him, searching for answers as her frown deepened.

Miroku went serious. "Your eyes," he said. "They look like mine."

The girl froze, never breaking his gaze, as Miroku continued speaking.

"I'm a monk," he explained. "My entire monastery was slaughtered by a youkai. I'm the only survivor. I can see it in your eyes…you're in pain, too. I don't know what it is, and you don't have to tell me, but forgive me if seeing myself reflected in you brings me some comfort." His eyes softened. "I can bring you comfort, too, if you'll let me."

Miroku didn't know what it was about her; there was something about her that was pulling him in. He had the strongest desire to cling to her.

The girl was quiet for a long moment.

"Sango," she finally said. "My name is Sango."

Eyes widening, Miroku nodded. "Nice to meet you, Sango," he replied. "My name is Miroku."

For the first time, the corner of her mouth twitched, the ghost of a smile. "Yeah, you already said that."

Miroku smiled at her. "So, Sango," he began, "what will you do next?"

Sango frowned and shrugged. "I'm just…wandering now, I guess. I don't really have a plan."

"Me neither," Miroku replied. "Maybe we could make one…together?"

There was an innocence in Sango's eyes that juxtaposed the trauma that was also so evident in her. Miroku could tell she was just as lost and scared as he was.

"Okay," she finally said, her voice quiet and small. Despite her tough exterior, Miroku could tell she was just a lost young girl.

"Are you a taijiya?" Miroku asked. "Is that your profession?" Sango paused.

"Um, I was," she replied. "I'm not anymore."

Taking it in stride, Miroku nodded. "I'm a monk. I have spiritual power, but I've never used it to slay a youkai. There aren't even really enough youkai disturbances out there to even have jobs as an exorcist. I don't know how we could make any money from that for our new plan, whatever that winds up being."

Sango frowned, obviously pondering their dilemma. "Can't monks tell fortunes?" she asked. "Like palm-reading?"

Miroku tried to hide his hesitation. _She's right,_ he mused, _but I've never been good at that. I'm just good at manifesting my power and controlling it, not telling fortunes._

"Um, yes," he lied. "I can do that."

Sango shrugged. "Maybe you can charge people for doing that," she suggested. "That could be something."

"Sure," Miroku replied, not willing to admit his incapability.

Sango smiled. "Maybe you could read my palm?" Her question sounded embarrassed, almost as if she were asking as a truce offering rather than actual curiosity.

Miroku hid his flinch. "Okay," he replied.

Sango reached out her hand. Miroku carefully flipped it palm up so he could examine the lines.

_I have no idea,_ he stressed. _What can I tell her?_

"Your palm reveals a promising future," he announced. _At least, I hope so. For her sake…_ "You will find great happiness."

Sango smiled. "That's nice," she replied as she pulled her hand away. "That could be a good way to make some money. I can figure something out for me to do at some point."

Thankful that she didn't ask him anything else about her "palm reading," Miroku nodded.

"Let's be on our way, then."

O.o.O.o.O

A month into their time together, Sango figured out that he was a fake.

After his pockets were full of money and the last patron had left, Miroku turned to find Sango frowning at him.

She'd bought new clothing a few days after they'd joined forces, and Miroku once again admired the way her pink kimono and green wrap looked on her. Sango was beautiful, and Miroku was having trouble tampering down the feelings he knew were starting to develop for her.

"What?" he asked, noticing her frown. "Something wrong?"

Sango rolled her eyes. "Care to explain why the last _four_ readings you did were exactly the same?" she asked suspiciously. "I've noticed that sometimes two or three will be the same, but _four?_ Seems a little unlikely to me."

Miroku sighed. "Okay, okay, you're right," he admitted. "I can't read palms."

Sango rolled her eyes. "So you're a scammer?" she hissed quietly. "You could get arrested for that!"

Miroku waved off her concern. "Oh, come now, Sango," he replied. "As long as the readings make people happy, isn't it worth it?" That seemed to resonate with Sango.

"You better not get caught," she warned, ceasing her reproach. "I'm only saying you should continue doing it because we need some source of money. People haven't been buying many of my baskets lately, so that's starting to become a problem." She huffed. "My baskets are nice. People have just stopped appreciating them."

Chuckling, Miroku put his arm around her. "Don't worry," he replied. "We make enough with fortune-telling that we don't have to worry too much about other stuff."

Sango froze, a blush quickly rising to her cheeks as she ducked under Miroku's arm. "Excuse me, monk," she said quickly. "Keep your arm off of me."

The blush on her cheeks, the way she kept her gaze firmly away from him brought a smile to Miroku's face. _She's so cute…and kind…and…_

Miroku shook his head and only motioned for her to follow him. "Let's head out. I think we've made as much money from this town as we could have."

As much as Miroku was still uneasy with it, they had mostly been wandering since they'd met. They traveled mostly, making money in each town and finding inns to stay in when it rained. They hadn't talked about what they wanted for the future, but Sango hadn't said anything and neither had he, so he just continued their usual routine.

One night, when it was nice enough to sleep out under the stars with the blankets and several pillows they'd bought, Sango brought it up.

"So," she began, "what do you hope to do?"

Miroku looked over at her from where she was laying on the other side of the fire. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Sango shrugged, keeping her gaze on the sky above them. "We've just kind of been going from place to place," she replied. "Which is fine. I'm not complaining or anything, but…what's all this leading to?"

The monk was quiet for a few moments. "I don't know," he realized. "I was so busy trying to just… _survive_ that I forgot we were trying to _live."_

Sango rolled onto her side to face him. "I think there's something out there for us," she said. "I think even if we can't find it, it'll find us." Miroku smiled at her.

"You're right," he replied. "And, Sango, I want to stay with you. I don't want us to part ways. If that's what you wind up preferring, I'll understand, but-"

"No," Sango interrupted quickly. "I want us to stay together. I don't have anyone else. My family…my family died."

Miroku paused. In the time they'd been together, Sango had never mentioned what she'd been running from on the day they met or what kind of life she'd left behind.

"I should have told you sooner," she admitted regretfully. "A youkai destroyed my village. My brother and I were the only survivors, but he died soon after. He was too injured."

Miroku sat up to turn to her. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's always hard when the biggest bond you have with someone is so painful."

Sango sighed. "Being with someone else has helped," she replied. "Being with _you_ has helped. Even though you're kind of a pervert sometimes, you're actually alright."

Miroku chuckled. "Thanks."

As Sango smiled at him once more before bidding him good night and rolling over, Miroku felt a swell in his heart.

Maybe he'd always known, but he loved her. He didn't quite understand the full extent of what love meant, but he loved Sango to his full capacity.

He lay back down, smiling, before falling asleep.

O.o.O.o.O

Miroku and Sango fell into a steady routine during the next several months. They both turned fifteen during the time, and their friendship strengthened with each passing day.

A little over a year after they met, Miroku and Sango were passing through a village. Miroku was doing his usual fortune-telling while Sango tried to sell some of her quilts. She'd given up on making baskets long ago, and selling her quilts was more successful anyway.

Miroku had just finished his last palm reading of the day when a young woman around his age walked past him.

She was beautiful, with long, messy black hair and bright blue eyes. She was short, tiny, and in his opinion, she was a close second to Sango in beauty.

"Miroku, are you ready to go?" Sango asked, nudging him. Miroku's eyes were glued on the other girl. When Sango realized where his attention was, she punched him on the arm, effectively breaking him from his stupor.

"I swear you get worse every day," she spat. "Quit being a pervert and let's go." Sango glanced at the other girl again with a frown on her face.

That time, the girl looked over at them. When Miroku saw her head-on, he paused. His attraction to her left his mind as he focused in on the depth of her eyes. In her eyes, he saw himself and Sango.

"Sango," he said softly, "she's like us."

Sango glanced at him before looking back at the girl. "You're right," she murmured back.

The girl kept her gaze on them as she began to walk over.

"Hello," she greeted politely with a bow. "May I buy one of your quilts?"

Sango nodded and set down her basket. "Sure," she replied. "Pick whichever you like."

The girl gently looked through the quilts until she pointed to one. "Can I look at this one please?"

Sango pulled the specific quilt out of the basket and handed it to the girl. Her eyes widened as she took in the subject of the quilt. The fabric was red, with a white silhouette of a woman on it. Her clothing resembled that of a miko, and the girl slowly ran her hand over the face.

"Who is it?" she asked softly.

"It's Kikyo," Sango replied. "The miko from the Great War. I've done a few quilts with silhouettes of people from history, but this is the last of those."

The girl looked up at Sango and Miroku. "Do you believe in destiny?" she asked seriously.

Miroku looked into the girl's eyes, realizing that he had been right. The pain over which he and Sango had originally bonded was very evident in the girl's eyes. There was hope there, too, and something akin to desperation.

"Yes," Miroku replied. "We do." Sango nodded her agreement.

The girl smiled. "My name is Kagome. Tell me, do you all have a goal? Do you have something you're working toward?"

Miroku's eyes widened, as did Sango's.

"No," Sango replied. "We've been waiting for one."

Kagome nodded, her smile never wavering. "Would you like to hear mine?"

And so began Miroku, Sango, and Kagome's destinies.

O.o.O.o.O

Miroku lay on his bed on the ship. Shippo was off with Inuyasha and Kagome, trying to convince them to let him join the group when they battled Naraku.

The memory of how everything had begun with himself and Sango was replaying through his mind. Miroku believed in destiny, deeply, and Sango was his.

A knock came at his door, breaking him from his thoughts. He stood up and went to open it, only to find Sango standing on the other side.

"Hi," he greeted, smiling. In eleven years, Sango had only grown more beautiful. He knew her better than he knew himself, and he wondered when she would finally understand that.

"Hi," she replied, obviously nervous. Her hands were clasped behind her back, her eyes hesitant to linger on his for too long. "Can we talk?"

Miroku nodded and opened the door wider so she could enter the room. Closing the door behind her, he took a seat on his bed and motioned for her to sit on the chair at his desk.

There was silence between them as Miroku waited for Sango to speak.

"We're going up against Naraku soon," Sango said somberly. "And…we don't really know what's gonna happen."

Miroku frowned. "We'll defeat him, Sango," he assured her. "That's what will happen."

Sango finally looked up to meet his gaze. "I know," she replied. "I know we'll defeat him. He will be eradicated." She paused. "But…what if we lose people? What if…what if some of us don't make it back?"

Miroku's eyes widened. "Sango," he began seriously, "you'll make it back. I promise. I'll do everything in my power to protect you."

Sango shook her head fiercely. "No," she said. "That's not what I mean."

Confused, Miroku frowned. "Are you worried about Kagome? She'll be fine, too, so don't-"

"I'm talking about you, stupid!" Sango shouted. "If I lose you, I'll lose myself!"

Stunned into silence, Miroku only looked at her.

Tears pooled in Sango's eyes, alerting Miroku to just how scared she was. Sango _never_ cried in front of other people.

"There's no me without _you,"_ Sango said as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "I just-I can't imagine going into battle and potentially losing you without you knowing how I feel. How I've _always_ felt."

Miroku didn't have a chance to respond before Sango moved.

She was up and out of the chair in an instant, moving straight to him. She took his cheeks in her hands and pressed her mouth to his in a desperate kiss.

The feel of her lips on his was even better than any of his wildest dreams. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down into his lap to hold her close to him. He wouldn't be letting go of her any time soon.

Miroku allowed Sango to take control of the kiss, allowing his own mouth to encourage her to take whatever she needed.

Lips parting, tastes blending, hands wandering, Miroku kissed her with every ounce of strength he had in his soul. Sango was all too eager to return, kissing him desperately and tightening her hold on him.

Eventually, she began to slow. Her hold on him remained tight, but her kisses became calmer, gentler.

When she finally pulled away, she touched her forehead to his.

"I love you, Miroku," she murmured. "I always have."

To his surprise, Miroku felt a lump in his throat. Sango…the woman he'd always wanted…the woman he'd always loved.

"I love you, too," he replied gently. "But of course you knew that."

Sango smiled and leaned back to look at him. She ran an affectionate hand over his cheek as he admired her beautiful face.

"I take it you noticed that I've been keeping my hands to myself, huh?" Miroku teased. "Then you came in here and ruined it all."

Sango laughed. "I guess you changed my mind."

Miroku allowed the hands on her back to roam lower. "Really?" he asked flirtatiously. "So if I do this…?"

Sango gasped, but didn't move his hands. "Miroku," she breathed. "Kiss me."

She didn't have to tell him twice.

O.o.O.o.O

Later that night, after Sango had left Miroku's quarters, Inuyasha opened the door.

"Hey," the hanyo greeted. Miroku, still very affected by his afternoon with Sango, smiled.

"Hey," he replied. Inuyasha gave him a funny look before smirking.

"Well, well," he said. "I guess Sango finally came around. Her scent is all over you."

Miroku sat up and chuckled. "I knew she would some day."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "So I'm officially moving out of here," the hanyo said. "I'm gonna go ahead and take my stuff to Kagome's quarters."

Now it was Miroku's turn to smirk. "Well, look at you," he replied. "The captain and the hanyo, a match made in heaven."

Inuyasha blushed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he grumbled. "Focus on your own woman." Miroku burst out laughing and stood up from his bed.

"I'll help you carry your stuff," he announced as he bent to grab one handle of Inuyasha's chest.

The hanyo softened. "Thanks," he replied sincerely.

When Inuyasha was completely moved into Kagome's quarters, dinner was just a few minutes away from being served.

Sango blushed as soon as she saw Miroku, and the monk didn't miss Kagome's knowing glance at him. The captain was smiling, though, so Miroku knew she was pleased about what had happened with Sango.

As usual, Miroku sat down by Sango but casually brushed her hand under the table.

Now that Sango and Kagome were open about being women, they didn't have to constantly wear their hair up. Sango's long locks brushed against Miroku occasionally, and he was jolted back to the way she'd felt in his arms and the way her hair had tickled his cheeks.

He reflected on her fears, knowing that he shared them about her. But with her smiling shyly at him every few moments, he allowed himself to forget that fear.

What truly mattered to him was Sango, and nothing would ever change that.

To be continued…

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Just a quick little prequel and some very overdue romance between the couple :) We're resuming the current story line in the next chapter!

Much love.


	12. The Castle of Confrontations

**Chapter 12: The Castle of Confrontations**

"Ah, how interesting."

Red eyes glowed as he tossed his flowing hair over his shoulder. He knew that four members of the resurrected Band of Seven had been sent back to the grave. The whole lot of them were a nuisance, a weak attempt to perhaps kill the captain and the hanyo before they reached him.

Jakotsu, Bankotsu, Ginkotsu, and Kyokotsu had proven to be much weaker than he'd expected. Either that or he had underestimated Kagome, Inuyasha, and that stupid wolf prince.

He wouldn't make that mistake again.

Honestly, killing the wolf-prince's tribesmen had just been for fun. He loved to kill; murder ran through his veins.

"What do you find so interesting?" Kagura asked, her haughty nature ever-present in her tone.

Naraku frowned; of his two reincarnations, Kagura was his least favorite and his biggest flight risk. Her thoughts were filled with the desire to cut her ties with him. He held her heart to keep her from going anywhere, and he made sure she was very well aware of the power he held over her.

_Perhaps I should make more...a few more reincarnations could be beneficial._

"It appears the wolf prince has found Kagome and Inuyasha," he replied. "They've joined forces." He chuckled. "Revenge is such a funny thing. They're driven by their combined hatred of me. Little do they know that it will only fuel the remaining tainted jewel in my power."

The missing shards were the only real problems he had. He'd released seven for the resurrected mercenaries, which had been a rather difficult decision. Naraku himself had taken Bankotsu's back after he killed him. Two were now in Koga's legs, and Kagome had the other.

Now that a shard was in Kagome's possession, the small purification could be an issue when he returned that shard to the jewel itself.

Dark eyes flashing, he frowned. He would need to come up with a plan to corrupt the jewel shard that Kagome had. There were many options, so he wasn't too concerned about it.

He opened his eyes and walked to the window of his large bedroom in his castle. Naraku peered out at the landscape, admiring the decomposing corpses.

_Oh, how I love the after effects of murder,_ he mused. _The stench, the blood, the blue bodies. Beautiful._

Killing the residents of the castle had been easy, almost even boring, but the opportunity to kill was all too tempting.

He frowned. Now that Koga had revealed Naraku's location to Kagome and Inuyasha, he knew he couldn't waste time preparing for their arrival. He had very little time to figure out the best and most painful ways to kill them.

He had been furious when Midoriko had appeared in front of Kagome and Inuyasha and revealed his secret, but he wound up being fairly pleased. Now that they knew the truth, their hatred at his decision to sell his soul for the sole purpose of seducing Kagome's mother would only taint the jewel shard even more.

His frown soon turned into a harsh smirk.

"How about that, Kikyo?" he said out loud. "You were the start of all of this. Your daughter will be the end. I hope you'll be able to see how slowly and torturously I'm going to kill her."

Naraku turned back around to face Kagura. "Take Kanna and go find the remaining members of the Band of Seven," he ordered. "Bring them back to the castle. I have preparations to make here."

His reincarnation rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

Naraku frowned at her. _What a nuisance,_ he grumbled silently. _Killing her will be the first thing I do after taking out Inuyasha and Kagome._

It had been fifty years, and now everything was finally coming together.

_Bring me your worst._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome flipped through the water and admired the sunlight shining through the surface. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to still and float in the water, admiring the way the ocean wrapped around her in a gentle hug.

Now that the crew knew about her true form, she didn't have to hide her ningyo side. Two days after her admission, she took her first swim before breakfast. Then she took one after lunch, and now she was taking one after dinner. It had been so long since she'd been able to take a leisurely swim in the daytime, so she was taking advantage of every opportunity.

_It might be a bit excessive,_ she realized as she opened her eyes. _But I was having swimming withdrawal. I'll take what I can get._ She grinned and swam down to the porthole to peek into her room.

Well, her and _Inuyasha's_ room. He slept in her room every night anyway, so asking him to stay in there permanently just made sense.

It didn't stop her from feeling giddy anyway, though.

When she reached the porthole, she glanced in to find Inuyasha already watching for her through the glass. She waved as his golden eyes softened at the sight of her.

Kagome leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on the glass. Inuyasha smiled and shook his head, silently teasing her for the action.

Man, she loved him.

She gave him a parting wave before swimming away to flip through the water a few more times. When she breached the surface, she allowed herself to float on the waves and let the sun warm her skin.

As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she pondered over their new plan. They'd decided to sail for another day before stopping. Kagome knew of a relatively large town nearby, so she figured it would be a good idea to stop for supplies they might need for their battle.

_I could use a new sword,_ she mused. _And maybe more arrows. We also need stuff for the ship in general, so we might as well get everything at once._

After they finished their business in the town, they would set sail again and dock about a week before Koga would meet them.

The only problem was that the castle was very deep inland, so the walk to the castle would take almost as long as just sailing to the closest dock. They would probably get there only a day before Koga.

Kagome frowned. _Inuyasha's human night will probably happen when we're walking to the castle,_ she realized. _I wonder what he'll want to do._ The captain began to swim back to the ship, making a mental note to ask Inuyasha about it later.

After she'd transformed and climbed back up onto the deck, she found Inuyasha waiting for her. With a smile on his face, he handed her a washrag.

"Thank you," she said gratefully as she began to wring out her hair. She sat down on the deck as she continued drying out the long locks.

Inuyasha leaned on the edge of the ship. "It's hard to believe we have less than two weeks," he said. "Everything will finally be over."

Kagome sighed. "Yeah," she replied. "Darkness will be eradicated. We can start trying to bring peace back between humans and youkai."

The hanyo nodded. "That sounds good," he agreed. "There are so few of us, though. We'll eventually die out within the next two or three-hundred years." Kagome frowned.

"Hey," she chided. "Don't say that. Maybe youkai will live on as long as humans will. With more youkai out in the open, maybe the population can increase."

Shrugging, Inuyasha grabbed the washrag from Kagome's hands before wringing the water out of her hair himself. "I dunno," he murmured as he gently dried her hair. "Maybe."

Kagome smiled. "What are you doing?" she asked. "I can dry my own hair, you know."

Chuckling, Inuyasha gave her hair a gentle tug. "I know, woman," he replied. "But sometimes it's nice to have a little help." Laughing, Kagome allowed him to finish.

She didn't miss the fact that her hair was dry long before Inuyasha stopped.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha stared up at the ceiling as thoughts raced through his head.

Kagome was curled up tightly next to him, her even breathing only settling him slightly as she slept peacefully.

" _It's hard to believe we have less than two weeks…"_

Inuyasha closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He probably would never admit it out loud, but he was worried.

He wasn't so much worried about the actual battle as was about what would happen _after_. Destroying the jewel would return light to the world and fully eradicate darkness.

But then what? Where would the youkai community go from there?

Inuyasha sighed and rolled over to bury his nose in Kagome's hair. They would figure it all out. He knew they would.

At his movement, Kagome began to stir lightly. Her eyes opened, albeit only slightly, as she tilted her head closer to him.

"Inuyasha?" she murmured, sleep evident in her voice. "Are you alright?"

Inuyasha tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah," he murmured. "Go back to sleep." As if it were so normal she could even do it in her sleep, Kagome leaned up and kissed him on the corner of the mouth before curling back up against him and going back to sleep.

Inuyasha felt a lump in his throat as he thought about the girl at his side.

_She's the love of my life,_ he mused. _If there's anything that could overcome darkness, wouldn't it be love?_ He nearly laughed at himself. He blamed his uncharacteristically _soft_ thoughts on how late into the night it was.

Finally, his eyes drifted closed and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

o.O.o

The next morning, they docked at the marina in the intended town. Before they got their weapons, they decided to stop at a tavern.

After they'd ordered their food, Kagome frowned.

"I feel so bad that we have to keep leaving Shippo on the ship when we go to the castle," she said sadly. "I know it must upset him."  
Inuyasha shrugged. "The kit knows it's for his safety," he replied matter-of-factly. "Unless he winds up deciding he wants to get himself killed.

Rolling her eyes, Kagome ignored him and looked at Miroku and Sango. "I have a list of things we need," she informed them. "Let me know if you have anything you want to add." Kagome read off the items, only having to add taijiya attire for Sango.

"Are you sure?" Miroku asked Sango seriously. "It's been a long time."

Sango sighed."I know, but if we're going up against Naraku, I'll probably need it." She looked at Kagome and Inuyasha. "Will that bother you? I need the traditional clothing, so I'll _really_ look like a taijiya."

Inuyasha and Kagome simultaneously shook their heads. "We're all going to do what we have to do," Kagome replied. "If that will keep you safe, we're all for it." Inuyasha nodded his agreement.

Sango smiled and nodded back. Kagome looked back at her list and seemed to think for a moment.

"Maybe we should split up," she suggested. "This list is pretty long since we need stuff for the ship, too. Maybe Sango and I can go together and you two go together. If Sango needs clothing, having another girl with her might be helpful."

Inuyasha wasn't really looking forward to shopping around with Miroku. The guy was nice and all, but he could be a handful. The hanyo snuck a peek at him. Now that Miroku was actually happy with Sango, maybe he wouldn't be as annoying.

The hanyo grimaced. _Or he might be worse,_ he realized.

"That sounds like a good idea," Sango agreed. They decided to part ways after their meal to begin the large shopping spree.

Inuyasha managed to sneak a kiss from Kagome before he and Miroku left to get their half of the list.

To Inuyasha's annoyance, Miroku _was_ worse now that he was with Sango. Every time he would see a woman he would have flirted with in the past, he would smirk at Inuyasha and whisper, "My lady is way prettier, huh?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes every time Miroku said that. _Rude pervert,_ he thought to himself. _What an offensive thing to say about all those women._

It took a while, but they finally managed to get all of their items after Miroku had brought up Sango's butt at _least_ a thousand times.

Needless to say, Inuyasha was ready to get back to Kagome.

As they made their way to the front of the tavern to meet up with Kagome and Sango, Miroku dragged Inuyasha over to a nearby flower stand.

Miroku saw a decently-priced bouquet of flowers and announced, "Sango just _has_ to have these!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes and waited for the monk to pay before resuming their trek to the tavern.

Kagome and Sango were already waiting for them. Sango blushed when Miroku gave her the flowers, but Inuyasha barely noticed.

He was more focused on the giant boomerang strapped to Sango's back.

"What is that thing?" he asked.

Sango was still focused on gushing about Miroku's gift to answer his question.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes for the hundredth time that day before repeating his question to Kagome.

"It's a weapon," the captain explained. "It's made from youkai bones and it's _heavy_. Sango totes it around like a champ, though."

Inuyasha nodded. "Great," he replied. "Did you get enough arrows?" Kagome referred to the newly-filled quiver on her back.

"I sure did," she replied. "We also got the rest of the stuff on our part of the list. We're good to go back to the ship now."

"Oi!" Inuyasha grumbled to Miroku and Sango. "Are you lot done yet? We've got stuff to do."

Sango blushed and broke away from Miroku, whose arms had been around her and was nuzzling her cheek.

"Yes," she replied quickly. "We're ready." Miroku just chuckled and nodded.

Kagome laughed at the couple as they all made their way back to the ship.

O.o.O.o.O

The following week was spent arranging their weapons for their journey to the castle.

Shippo cried every day, mostly when Inuyasha wasn't around to roll his eyes at him, and clung to Kagome most of the time.

The captain did her best to comfort him, but she wasn't sure how much good it was doing.

"Shippo," she said patiently the day before they were set to dock. "I need you to be the brave youkai that protects the rest of the crew." She lowered her voice and tried to sound serious, as if she were tasking him with an important mission. "Do you think you can do that?"

Perking up a bit, Shippo wiped his tears and looked up at Kagome. "You really want me to protect the crew?" he asked in awe. Kagome smiled and nodded.

Shippo finally smiled back and pridefully puffed out his chest. "Okay," he said. "I'll protect our men."

Kagome laughed. "Great. I'm so relieved that they'll be taken care of."

Most pirates would take their crew for any sort of fights or confrontations, but Kagome's crewmen were teetering the line of eldery, and she didn't want to put them in any danger. When she announced it would just be herself, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Inuyasha going, she swore she saw relief on her older crewmen's faces.

The morning of their departure, Kagome entered her quarters shortly after comforting Shippo for the millionth time. To her surprise, she found Inuyasha tying the obi of a red haori.

"Hey, handsome man," she greeted as she closed the door behind her. "What are you wearing?" She referred to the red hakama as well as his newly-donned haori.

Inuyasha hesitated a bit awkwardly. "It's my Robe of the Fire Rat," he explained. "I said I would wear it when we faced Naraku, so…"

Kagome smiled and came over to gently run her hands over the fabric on his chest.

"It looks really good on you," she murmured as she looked up into his eyes. "Just like I knew it would." Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist as she slowly moved her hands up and down his chest, allowing the slight scratch of his clothing to keep her grounded.

He smiled at her as she slid her hands up and around his neck. He gently leaned his head down to touch his forehead to hers.

"I love you," Inuyasha said quietly.

"I love you, too," she replied. "There's no one I would ever rather do this with."

Inuyasha kissed her then, moving his hands up and down her back.

They stayed in her quarters for a long while.

O.o.O.o.O

After they departed from the ship to embark on their journey to Naraku's castle, they mostly walked in silence. They stuck to a path that went through a forest near the marina where they'd left the crew.

As they walked, Inuyasha replayed the time he'd spent with Kagome in their quarters. He'd kissed her desperately, soon moving her to topple onto the bed in attempt to get as close to her as possible.

With him on top of her, kissing her soundly, Inuyasha allowed himself to pretend that they weren't about to leave for a difficult battle. He pretended that it was him and Kagome, alone with no cares at all.

Free to just _be_.

He pulled away from her lips to just lay his head against her neck and hold her, allowing her pulse to steady his own. She clutched onto him tightly, and he wished that they could stay in their bed together, forever.

Inuyasha tried to push the delightful thoughts from his mind as they silently walked along the path. They still had another week before they were supposed to meet up with Koga.

Inuyasha's mood soured when he realized they would be seeing Koga soon. The hanyo really hated that guy.

Kagome nudged him gently from where she was walking beside him.

"What's that look on your face?" she teased. "Looks like you just ate something sour."

Inuyasha frowned. "Nothing," he replied curtly. Kagome eyed him.

"Are you thinking about Koga?" she asked. Inuyasha glanced at her.

Sometimes she read him so well it was almost scary.

"I hate him," Inuyasha growled lowly. "Hopefully he'll die during the fight so I won't have to see him ever again."

Kagome lightly swatted his arm. "Don't say that," she chided. "We don't want anyone to die. We're gonna beat Naraku, and the only one that's gonna die is him and his creepy henchwomen."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Yeah," he conceded. "Plus...we definitely don't need any more youkai to die. Do you think the last members of the Band of Seven will be there? They're obviously working for Naraku. I wonder if they'll be with him."

"Hm," Kagome hummed. "Probably."  
A slap resounded in the air, distracting Inuyasha and Kagome from their conversation.

"Pervert!" Sango shrieked, the sound startling Kirara into jumping off the woman's shoulder.

Miroku rubbed his swollen cheek as he frowned at Sango. "But, Sango dearest-"

"Just because we're together," she hissed, "doesn't mean you can grab my butt whenever you want!"

Inuyasha grimaced. Sango probably thought he and Kagome wouldn't be able to hear her quiet whisper, but their youkai hearing allowed them to pick up on every word.

He and Kagome exchanged a glance. Kagome covered her mouth to muffle her laughter, while Inuyasha couldn't help but smile and shake his head. At least one of them was entertained.

The group covered a lot of ground throughout the day, only stopping for meals and necessary breaks.

That night, Inuyasha lay next to Kagome, although at a much more chaste distance due to Miroku and Sango's presence, but still close enough to be comforted by her scent.

She rolled over to look at him, a smile coming to her face when her blue eyes met his golden ones.

"Can't sleep?" she asked softly, so as not to wake Miroku and Sango.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Not really," he replied quietly. "You?"

Kagome reached out to take one of his hands. "Not really," she echoed. She laughed quietly. "I don't normally complain about sleeping outside, but I really miss our bed. "

Inuyasha smirked. "Me, too," he agreed as Kagome gently ran her thumb over the back of his hand.

The captain gazed at him for a moment before frowning.

"When's your human night?" she asked. "It'll be before we reach the castle, right?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah," he confirmed. "But what made you think of that?"

To his surprise, Kagome blushed. "Um, well," she began, "I was just thinking about the first time you were human with me…"

Inuyasha wasn't sure whether to smile or cringe.

Instead, he reached out and smoothed Kagome's bangs back. "It won't be like that this time," he murmured.

Kagome smiled. "I know," she replied. "But that was a heck of a kiss." Inuyasha grinned.

"Yeah," he agreed, his fingers lingering on a lock of her hair. "The new moon is in four days. We'll have to tell Miroku and Sango." Inuyasha didn't like the idea of them knowing, but it couldn't be helped.

They fell asleep soon after, with whispers of love exchanged before they succumbed to slumber.

O.o.O.o.O

The group made good time as they continued on their way to the castle. On the fourth day of their trek, Kagome noticed Inuyasha had become a bit restless.

It reminded her of how he'd acted a month ago on the day of his human night, so she knew that must be the reason.

As they walked, Kagome reached out and laced her fingers with his.

"You alright?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded curtly.

"Yeah," he replied. "I need to tell Miroku and Sango."

Nodding, Kagome let go of his hand.

"Oi," Inuyasha said to Miroku and Sango as they walked ahead. "I need to tell you lot something."

Miroku and Sango paused to turn around to face him.

"Is something wrong?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha hesitated. "Well...tonight is the new moon," he explained. "It's my human night."

Sango's eyes widened. "Oh, wow," she replied. "I thought that was a myth about hanyo, but I guess it's true."

Inuyasha grimaced. "Yeah, it's true."

"Don't worry, my good man," Miroku said. "We'll keep your secret. Of course, I already knew, but that's besides the point."

Inuyasha and Kagome's eyes widened.

"What?" Inuyasha asked. "What do you mean you knew?"

Miroku chuckled. "I'm a monk," he said simply. "I could sense the change in your aura last month."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Figures," he grumbled.

"Oh, come now," Miroku chided. "Your secret has been safe with Kagome and me. Now it'll be just as safe with Sango." Sango smiled encouragingly.

"Miroku is right, Inuyasha," she assured him. "We're a family. You can trust all of us."

Kagome smiled brightly at Inuyasha. The surprise was evident on his face, but he seemed to relax at Sango's assurance. He didn't quite smile, but his frown certainly lessened.

O.o.O

That evening, Kagome was laying out her blanket as everyone prepared for bed. The group had decided to make camp rather early so they could be completely settled when Inuyasha's power faded.

They ate a quiet dinner, and Kagome noticed Inuyasha seemed to continuously become more withdrawn from the group. Kagome frowned, anxious to comfort him when he was ready to accept it.

Instead of coming to lay down next to her as Kagome prepared for bed, Inuyasha simply planted a kiss on her head before walking to a nearby tree. He jumped up into a branch high enough that Kagome, and more importantly Miroku and Sango, couldn't see him. Kagome knew Inuyasha trusted them, but his human night was still private.

When Miroku and Sango were laying down, Kagome picked her blanket up off the ground before grabbing another one. She quickly made her way to the tree in which Inuyasha was perched.

As she approached the trunk, she peered up to try and find him in the branches.

"Inuyasha?" she called up quietly.

"Over here," he replied. Kagome hopped up into the tree in the direction of his voice. When she finally found him, he was sitting with his back against the trunk, completely human.

"Hi," Kagome greeted, taking his human form in stride. "You look cute."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh," he grumbled, a blush coming to his face. "I look _human_."

Kagome smiled. "I brought you a blanket," she said as she handed it to him. Thanking her quietly, Inuyasha took it but didn't cover himself with it.

Glancing at Kagome with his blush increasing, he lifted up his arms. "Share?" he asked, embarrassed.

The captain wasted no time in moving down the branch to curl up against him. After he spread the blanket out over them, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and lay his cheek against her hair.

Kagome breathed him in, thankful that his scent remained constant when he was human. "I brought my own blanket if you want to use it for your head. It must not be comfortable against the trunk like that." Inuyasha took the folded blanket and did just that before pulling Kagome back into his arms and holding her close.

"Three more days," she murmured. "Then...destiny."

Inuyasha's human arms tightened around her. "When I hear that word," he began softly, "all I think of is you. Not Naraku, not the jewel, not the prophecy... _you,_ Kagome."

Kagome was taken aback by his words. Inuyasha was affectionate physically and was often very sweet to her, but he very rarely ever sounded so...vulnerable.

_I shouldn't be surprised,_ she reminded herself. _He practically pounced on me the first time he was human._

"Be careful," she teased. "You don't wanna say too much as a human. The hanyo I know and love probably wouldn't like for his secrets to come out."

Inuyasha chuckled. "I don't have any secrets," he replied. "Just...I have the words now, I guess. I want to use them. I just...I need you to know exactly how I feel."

Kagome carefully sat up and looked at him.

"I know how you feel," she replied. "It's in everything you do. Every touch, every kiss, all of it. I love you, Inuyasha, and you love me. If there's anything I believe in, it's that."

Inuyasha pulled her back to him to kiss her.

It was similar to their first kiss, but this time it was calmer, slower. It was a soft passion rather than a heated desperation.

"I love you," Inuyasha murmured between kisses.

They fell asleep in the tree a little while later, all worries forgotten for at least one night.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha was in a bad mood.

They'd finally reached the day in which they'd be meeting up with Koga and his wolves. To say Inuyasha was dreading the moment he would have to lay eyes on the stupid wolf was an understatement.

The three days after the new moon had gone by quickly as they tried to make it to the castle as swiftly as possible.

Inuyasha picked up the scent of the wolves late into the day, which only served to worsen his mood.

"Kagome," he whispered urgently as he heard the wolves getting closer. "Get behind me. I don't want Koga to get any bright ideas."

Kagome rolled her eyes and reached up to gently tweak one of his ears.

"Oh, stop," she chided lightly. "I can ward off pests all by myself." She smiled up at him, which helped, but not much.

Koga appeared in front of them in a tornado before the winds dissipated.

As soon as he dropped onto his feet on the ground, he went straight for Kagome.

"My dear woman," he gushed as he took her hands in his. "How I have missed you during these last two weeks."

Before Inuyasha could even growl, Kagome yanked her hands out of his.

"Don't make me put a charm on you again," she warned. Koga flinched momentarily before his easy smile returned.

"You'll come around, my love," he cooed. "I have no doubts."

Kagome rolled her eyes, but before Inuyasha could react, another voice rang out.

"Koga? Why are you talking to that woman like that?"

Koga froze before turning around to face the source of the voice.

A younger-looking female wolf-youkai had a deep frown on her face as she planted her fists on her hips. Her red hair was divided into twin tails and a large flower was tucked within her locks.

"Ayame, this is Kagome," Koga replied, his voice leaking impatience. "The mutt is Inuyasha and the two humans are...uh, I forget their names."

Ayame waved off his explanations. "Why do you speak to this _Kagome_ woman like that? Is she your mistress?"

Kagome's jaw dropped as a horrified look came onto her face.

"I most certainly am not!" she retorted. Ayame frowned at her, the disbelief evident on her face.

"I'm Koga's fiancee," she said. "Keep your hands off."

Koga growled. "How many times do I have to tell you, Ayame?" he asked exasperatedly. "We are _not_ engaged!"

Before Ayame could retort, Inuyasha cut in.

"Shut up!" he bellowed. "None of us care about your stupid problems with each other! We're trying to destroy Naraku, not fix your mess!"

Kagome nodded. "Inuyasha is right," she added. "We need to focus. You guys can fix your...situation another time. We need to make a plan right now."

Ayame frowned but didn't argue. Koga just looked at Kagome in awe.

"You're so strong," he said. "What a woman…"

"Just stop," Kagome ordered. "Are these your tribesmen?" he asked. Koga grew serious at the mention of his wolves.

He soon nodded and motioned to the several dozen wolves near him.

"Yes," he replied. "I've gathered all of the able-bodied wolves from each tribe. We're ready to take down Naraku." He nodded to the members of each tribe before bringing forward two wolf-youkai in their humanoid forms.

"This is Ginta and Hakkaku," Koga said as he referred to the pair. "They're my right-hand men."

A male with a large patch of blue hair nodded when Koga said Ginta, and the other with a white mohawk nodded at the mention of Hakkaku.

"Pleasure to meet you," Ginta said to Kagome. Inuyasha frowned.

_They seem harmless enough, but they're still with Koga. I should keep an eye on them._

As the newly-united group began to get familiarized with each other, Inuyasha quickly realized that he didn't need to worry about Ginta and Hakkaku. They were, for lack of a more mature term, _goofy_.

Inuyasha wasn't complaining, though. As long as they didn't flirt with Kagome like Koga did, he was fine with them.

"Okay, everyone," Kagome called after the initial introductions were over. "Tomorrow we will destroy Naraku. We need a plan, though. He resurrected the Band of Seven, which I'm sure Koga has already told you all about. There are only three remaining, so we all need to be prepared for their attacks in case they're here."

Kagome began explaining the tactics of Renkotsu, Mukotsu, and Suikotsu. Renkotsu was smart and used fire as a weapon, while Mukotsu was physically weak, but dangerously skilled as a poison master.

Suikotsu, Inuyasha decided, was just a psycho.

"He really has two personalities?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "Sometimes he's good and sometimes he's...well, a nightmare?"  
Kagome nodded. "Yes," she confirmed. "He's not afraid to use his clawed weapons. At this point, we need to be prepared for anything."

She finished explaining each member in more detail before the large group decided on who they would break off to fight. They would all be divided into three groups designated for each member.

As the plan started coming together, Inuyasha realized that there was someone missing.

"Oi," he said to Koga. "Didn't you tell Sesshomaru about what was happening?"

Koga nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Why?"

Inuyasha frowned. "He just stayed at the castle?"

The wolf shrugged. "He said he didn't want to leave his mate-er, wife, since she's human and pregnant."

Inuyasha growled. "So the sucker chooses now to go soft? Keh!"

Kagome's comforting hand settled on his shoulder. "It's okay, Inuyasha," she soothed. "We can do it without him, alright?"

Koga cracked his knuckles. "I can't wait to slice Naraku open with my claws."

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a glance.

"Well, actually, Koga," Kagome began slowly, "it'll just be Inuyasha and me fighting Naraku."

Koga frowned. "What? Then why would you ask me to come?"

"We still need help to actually get to him," Kagome explained. "We _all_ need to fight together, but when it comes down to it, Inuyasha and I have to be the ones to destroy him."

Koga rolled his eyes. "Becase of that dumb jewel?" he asked sarcastically. "Stupid. If I weren't planning on making you my woman, I would probably kill you for trying to keep me from my vengeance." He glared at Inuyasha. "Maybe I'll just kill you. I'll take the punishment for slaying another youkai."

Kagome huffed. "Koga, please," she insisted. "I've been after Naraku for ten years. Believe me when I say that I know what needs to happen for him to be taken down."

Koga looked at her for a long moment before finally sighing. "Fine," he said gruffly. "But kill him slowly and painfully."

Kagome grimaced. "We'll do our best," she muttered.

Inuyasha frowned.

_It's gonna be a long day._

o.O.o

For what felt like the tenth time that day, Inuyasha wiped his sweaty palms on his hakama.

His stomach was churning, but he couldn't figure out what he was feeling. He hadn't slept the night before; adrenaline kept him wide awake.

Plus, he had to keep an eye on that pesky wolf. No way was Inuyasha gonna let Koga get anywhere _near_ Kagome while he was around.

A small hand gently grabbed onto one of his. He looked over to see Kagome gazing up at him, concern evident in her eyes.

_I'm afraid,_ he realized. _I'm afraid to lose her._

Inuyasha gripped her hand, probably harder than he realized, as he saw the concern in her eyes grow.

"Are you okay?" she murmured.

_I can't lose her,_ he resolved. _I won't._

"Yeah," he replied, leaning down to kiss her quickly. "Just...yeah, I'm okay."

Obviously not completely believing him, Kagome nodded nonetheless.

"Okay," she said. "I love you. We can do this."

Inuyasha smiled down at her, but couldn't speak past the lump in his throat.

He hoped Kagome didn't mind his sweaty palms.

"Hey, mutt-face!" Koga hollered from in front of them. "Get your hands off my woman!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. If he weren't so lost in thought, he would've picked another fight.

Instead, he said nothing. Kaogme was his priority. She was his focus.

They'd camped out only about an hour away from the castle, so it was a rather short journey. It didn't ease Inuyasha's nerves, and he could tell Kagome was nervous, too.

They approached the castle according to their plan, and Inuyasha braced himself for the coming confrontation.  
"Kagome," he began, "do you sense the Band of Seven members?"

Kagome closed her eyes, obviously trying to sense the jewel shards in them. Her brow furrowed, a look of confusion donning her face before her eyes opened.

"There are only two of them here," she announced. "One of them is missing."

Inuyasha paused. _That doesn't make sense,_ he mused. _Why wouldn't Naraku have them all here with him?_

"Maybe he killed one of them already?" Koga suggested. "He's on a murder spree. I don't see why that wouldn't be the case."

Kagome seemed hesitant, but she finally nodded. "You're right," she conceded. "That could very well be what happened. We need to keep on our guard, though."

"What about Naraku?" Inuyasha added. "Do you feel the rest of the jewel?" Kagome nodded.

"Yes," she replied. "Naraku has the jewel here. I'm expecting him to be waiting for us. He must still be using those two members to try and off us."

She looked at the nearby castle before turning to address the large group again.

"Okay, everyone," she began. "It's time. Remember which member you're after. If you were set to fight the member that isn't here, just fight whichever one you think you're best equipped to kill. Everyone good with that?" The group nodded.

Kagome pulled an arrow from her quiver and readied it on her bow. "Let's head out," she announced. "Good luck."

They silently made their way to the castle. The youkai jumped over the large protective wall, while Kirara flew Miroku and Sango over.

Once they'd all reached the other side, they were greeted with a disgusting sight.

Inuyasha immediately covered his nose with his sleeve as the stench of death assaulted his senses.

Bodies covered the courtyard in varying levels of decay. Inuyasha couldn't tell how long they'd been there, but it was long enough for them to reach a horrifying level of decomposition.

Many of the wolves around him also looked like they were affected by the foul odor, but they didn't let it faze them.

They continued walking, keeping their eyes out for any adversaries.

"Do you know where they are?" Inuyasha asked Kagome.

The captain looked around for a moment before frowning. "They're separated," she announced. "One is to the left of the castle and one is to the right. I can't tell who."

Inuyasha sniffed the air, trying to push aside the smell of death still assaulting the air.

"I smell fire," Inuyasha said. "And I smell gas...and maybe some sort of weird incense?"

Kagome nodded. "That would be Renkotsu and Mukotsu. Suikotsu isn't here."

She turned to address the entire group. "Choose which member you feel more comfortable fighting. I will give you ten seconds to decide and catch up with your chosen group. Let's go."

Kagome and Inuyasha had decided to part during the fight with the Band of Seven members before reuniting to destroy Naraku once and for all. Inuyasha gave her a final, sparing look.

Kagome smiled at him before departing for her battle with Mukotsu.

Inuyasha shook his head and left with his own group to battle Renkotsu. His Robe of the Fire Rat would come in handy.

The hanyo and his group, which included Miroku, Sango, and Kirara, crept in the direction of the fiery scent. When they rounded the corner of the castle, they found a bald man with an evil smirk on his face. The cocky gleam in his eyes told them he'd been expecting them.

"You must be Inuyasha," he called to the hanyo. "I've certainly heard a lot about you. It will be a pleasure killing you."

Inuyasha growled. "You've sure got things mixed up," he seethed as he unsheathed Tessaiga. "Now shut up and let me send you back to the grave. Attack!"

Inuyasha lunged at Renkotsu but was caught off-guard by the immediate and surprising explosion that would have burnt him to a crisp had he not been wearing his robe.

_I need to thank Kagome later,_ he resolved. _That would have killed me if I weren't wearing this._

Inuyasha jumped back, calling a warning to his fellow fighters.

"Keep on your feet!" he shouted.

Renkotsu laughed. "How are you supposed to slay me with that fancy sword of yours if you can't even get close to me?"

Kirara transformed, and Inuyasha found himself grateful that she was there. She could combat the fire and hopefully get Inuyasha a little closer.

Renkotsu, clever as he seemed, noticed Kirara's new appearance and threw flames at the spot between the neko-youkai and Inuyasha.

The hanyo growled, displeased at the separation.

Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara launched into full-blown attacks with the wolves hot on their heels.

Inuyasha quickly noticed that the attack mindset for the wolves was to just charge the enemy head-on. They only managed to get a few bites in before being burned with Renkotsu's fire.

"As if mere pups could kill me," Renkotsu taunted. "I'm not above slaying animals."

The wolves didn't give up, and neither did Inuyasha.

The hanyo tried to figure out the best way to disarm Renkotsu. He was throwing flames consistently, but Inuyasha couldn't figure out where those flames were coming from. It was as if Renkotsu was _breathing_ fire.

After a moment more of observing him, Inuyasha realized that each time he would unleash a flame attack, he would sip from a gourd-like container hanging from one of his arms.

_That's the source!_ Inuyasha realized. _If we can keep him from using that gourd, we'll be able to get closer to him._

"Go for the gourd on his arm!" Inuyasha shouted. "That's where the flames are coming from!"

Renkotsu frowned murderously at Inuyasha. "I will not lose to a pack of _animals!_ I will kill you-"

He yelped in pain, effectively cutting himself off. One of the wolves had taken advantage of his distraction and launched at him. The wolf's fangs sank deep into his arm in an attempt to keep him from sipping from the gourd. Kirara flew over to catch Renkotsu's other arm, effectively trapping him where he stood before dragging him onto the ground. With both of his arms immobile and unable to spark any flames, Inuyasha managed to land a detrimental blow on Renkotsu as the wolf and Kirara held him still.

"How dare you?" Renkotsu shouted as he struggled to break free. He began to bleed heavily from his encaptured arms, and the jewel shard started glowing in his neck.

_It must be trying to heal him,_ Inuyasha realized. _We need to finish this now._

"Sango!" the hanyo called. "Hit him with Hiraikotsu!"

Sango nodded firmly and, being mindful to avoid the two youkai attached to Renkotsu's arm, threw the boomerang at their adversary, successfully stilling him completely. Inuyasha could hear the breath being knocked out of him and the crack of several bones, so he took that moment to deliver the final blow with his Tessaiga.

Renkotsu went still, his eyes lifeless and remaining open, as Inuyasha reached down to pull the jewel shard from his neck.

Much like Jakotsu, Renkotsu's body disintegrated and turned to ash.

Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief. "We got him," he announced. "Renkotsu is no more."

The hanyo turned to Sango. "Can you take the jewel shard for now?" he asked. "I think it's risky for a youkai to hold onto it for too long."

Sango nodded and took the jewel shard from him before safely tucking it away.

Inuyasha looked around to see several wolf-youkai carcasses. A few of the wolves were burned in the ensuing battle, but there were some that had been completely overcome by flames. Inuyasha knew he would get an earful from Koga later.

The hanyo himself was saddened by it. Any loss in the youkai community was an honest and true tragedy. The wolves were yet another one in a seemingly endless cycle.

He turned to address the other wolves.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said sincerely. "It's a shame."

The wolves walked over to their fallen comrades and knelt down in front of them.

Inuyasha nodded to Sango, Miroku, and Kirara. "Let's give them some time to grieve," he said quietly. "Let's go see if Kagome and the others need help."

Miroku and Sango mounted Kirara before the neko-youkai ran after him as they headed to where the other group was battling Mukotsu.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome, tried and true, pulled her old handkerchief from her pocket and tied it around her face to wield off any poisons from Mukotsu. She'd dealt with his work before, so she knew how potent it could be.

"Cover your faces," she alerted her group. Koga nodded as he along with Ginta and Hakkaku tied the cloths around their faces.

Ayame's annoyed face was covered by her own handkerchief, so Kagome was at least thankful that the dirty looks the female wolf-youkai was sending her way would be hindered. Kagome tried to be patient. Ayame looked even younger than Kagome, so the captain knew she just needed to be mature about the whole thing.

Koga helped the other wolves get their cloths adjusted to cover their noses. Kagome had warned them yet again about Mukotsu's poisons, so they knew there was no room for risk or error.

When they came upon Mukotsu, he was stirring a foul-smelling mixture in a large pot that still managed to permeate Kagome's handkerchief. It reeked of poison and the promise of imminent death.

"You've finally arrived!" Mukotsu called happily. "Just in time, too. I'm almost finished with the poison I've made special for you!"

"I think we'll pass," Kagome said as she knocked an arrow. "I'll have you die now." _If I can just shoot or slash him down, we'll be fine. He can't fight very well so we just need to attack him head-on._

She shot the arrow at him, hitting him right in the arm. He shrieked in pain before glaring at her.

"That was painful," Mukotsu complained. "I'll have you _not_ do that again."

Yanking the arrow out, Mukotsu added another herb to his pot before using a fan to wave it toward Kagome and her comrades.

"Wolves, disperse!" Koga ordered. The wolves, along with the several in their humanoid forms, spread out. Kagome tightened the cloth around her face and tried to figure out how to best attack him.

Mukotsu suddenly released an intense cloud of potion. It stung Kagome's eyes and blinded her for a moment. She blinked rapidly, her eyes tearing up, as she tried to clear her vision.

"Having trouble seeing?" Mukotsu asked, feigning innocence. "What could be causing that?"

Kagome used her sleeve to wipe the remnants from her eyes. Koga was also wiping his eyes, while Ginta was helping Hakkaku clear his.

Kagome looked around, trying to find Ayame and make sure she was alright.

But she was gone.

"Ayame?" Kagome called. "Ayame! Where are you?"

Koga waved off her concern. "Good riddance," he scoffed. "No true wolf runs from a battle."

Another puff of poisonous smoke overwhelmed Kagome as her sight began to diminish again. Suddenly, a wave of pain came from one of her arms. Gasping in pain, Kagome clutched the injured arm to her body as she tried to blink out the smoke in her eyes.

When she could finally start to see, she saw Koga and his wolves still trying to attack Mukotsu. Examining her arm, Kagome saw that Mukotsu had thrown some of the poisonous substance at her. The skin on her arm was burned, her sleeve completely melted into her skin. She grimaced. _That's gonna hurt to clean._ She moved the arm gently to make sure it was still modible. When she found it was, she knocked an arrow.

Before she could aim at him, Mukotsu sent more poisonous gas their way.

Several of Koga's wolves collapsed as their limbs became paralyzed. Kagome's arrow faltered as she watched them fall to the ground. They whined, frustrated at their inability to rise.

"No one harms my wolves and lives!" Koga bellowed. "I'll kill you!"

He lunged at Mukotsu, dodging the plumes of poison coming his way. Mukotsu's eyes widened as he got closer, but he soon smiled. Kagome saw him pull a knife out of his pocket as he eyed Koga's vulnerable throat.

In his rage, Koga had lost his cautiousness.

"Koga!" Kagome shouted. "He has a-"

" _You will not harm him!"_

Ayame's voice rang out in the air as she appeared behind Mukotsu and swiftly decapitated him with the sword she'd had at her hip.

Koga flipped out of the way just in time to avoid Mukotsu's head rolling toward him.

"Ayame?" he said incredulously. "How did you-"

"I did a fake-out," Ayame explained nonchalantly. "He was harming the wolves so I improvised."

Kagome smiled brightly at her. "Thank you, Ayame. You really saved us." The captain walked over to Mukotsu's headless body and pulled the shard out of his neck. Once she'd straightened up and put the shard in her pocket with the other one from Jakotsu, she turned to look at Koga.

"You sure you don't want her as your fiancee?" she teased. Koga's eyes widened, but before he could answer, Inuyasha's voice shouted out from behind Kagome.

"Kagome!"

He ran over, along with Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and definitely fewer wolves than he'd left with.

"Where are my wolves, mutt?" Koga growled. "What happened to them?"

Inuyasha eyed the newly-dead Mukotsu before looking back at Koga.

"I'm sorry, Koga," he said sincerely. "Renkotsu...he got some of them. They're back there with-"

Koga growled again before shooting off in the direction from which Inuyasha had just come, his able-bodied tribesmen following close behind. The still-paralyzed wolves remained, bowing their heads in respect for their fallen comrades.

Kagome walked over to Inuyasha and set her hand on his arm.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently. "Did you defeat him?" Inuyasha nodded silently. Kagome was surprised; she'd expected him to be a bit pleased at their success.

Miroku and Sango walked over with Kirara perched on Sango's shoulder. "The wolves fought hard," Miroku said solemnly. "But Renkotu was skilled. We killed him, but not easily."

Kagome sighed. "I wish things were easier," she said. Inuyasha looked over at the paralyzed wolves.

"I'm so sorry," he told them. "They fought well. They were courageous, and it's a terrible loss." The wolves looked up to nod at him before bowing their heads again.

Silently, Kagome and her personal comrades bowed their heads as well, allowing a quiet moment of respect. She heard a howl coming from across the courtyard out of their sight, obviously from Koga in an expression of his grief.

Kagome moved her hand to Inuyasha's before opening her eyes.

"We should go," she murmured. Inuyasha frowned and looked down at her arm.

"You're injured," he said. "Mukotsu?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes," she confirmed. "But I'm fine. It can wait to be dressed. We need to find Naraku. Are you ready?"

Inuyasha seemed hesitant to skip dressing her injury, but he eventually nodded firmly. "Let's do it."

"Good luck," Miroku said. "We'll be waiting here for you."

Sango quickly hugged Kagome. "Be careful. I know you can do it."

Kagome smiled and hugged Sango back before nodding at them both.

Inuyasha quickly took Kagome's hand before tugging her inside.

When they entered the castle, it was eerily quiet. Kagome sensed the jewel coming from deeper inside, so they made their way through several hallways before a shoji door appeared at the end of a long corridor.

"He's in there," Kagome whispered. "So is the jewel."

Inuyasha turned to face her, his golden eyes meeting hers urgently.

"We'll make it out of this," he assured her.

Kagome nodded. "We will. Together."

They crept quietly down the corridor until they reached the door.

Without hesitation, Kagome readied her bow as Inuyasha drew the Tessaiga before sliding the door open and rushing in.

"Well, well, well," a smooth, masculine voice cooed. "It looks like you finally made it. I must say I'm impressed that you managed to take out Mukotsu and Renkotsu."

Kagome frowned at the sight before them. Completely different from the form of Naraku she was expecting, a man was sitting in the middle of the room dressed in a baboon pelt. He was seated calmly, with no defense and no weapon.

"Is that him?" Inuyasha asked, seemingly thrown off by the pelt.

Kagome nodded. "Yes. I remember the aura."

"What's with the get-up?" Inuyasha asked Naraku harshly. "You don't think we'll wanna see your face when we kill you?"

Naraku laughed, the pelt moving slightly as his chuckles rounded on his body.

"You two are so naive," he taunted. "Do you really think I would allow you to kill me so easily? I must admit, those two members of the Band of Seven were last ditch efforts. They proved to be useless. What a waste of time."

Kagome couldn't see his face, but she _knew_ he was smiling evilly.

"You will be handing over the shards you now have in your possession," Naraku said. "I shall kill Koga after you two and steal the shards in his legs as well."

Kagome frowned. "Never," she retorted. "This ends once and for all right now."

Ignoring the pain in her injured arm, she knocked the arrow and shot at him, but he moved too quickly.

Kagome gasped. He'd practically disintegrated before reappearing across the room.

He laughed. "Dear Kagome," he cooed. "Daughter of Kikyo, my beloved. I will relish in killing you just like I did with your mother."

Kagome's eyes widened. " _What?"_ she shrieked. " _You_ killed her?"

Naraku rose from his sitting position.

"Love, or should I say _lust,_ can do crazy things to people," he replied. "Tell me, don't you ever dream of killing your beloved Inuyasha? Don't you dream of bathing in his blood and tearing him apart limb-by-limb?"

_Don't cry,_ Kagome ordered herself. _There will be time for that later. Don't be foolish._

"You'll pay for that," Kagome growled. "You'll pay for _everything_ you've done!"

She knocked another arrow before shooting it at him. Naraku managed to dodge it before lunging at her.

Kagome flipped out of the way as she knocked another arrow.

Inuyasha swung the transformed Tessaiga at him, but was soon gasping at the blow Naraku managed to deal on him.

_He's too fast!_ Kagome realized. _We'll never be able to hit him!_

To no avail, Kagome shot another arrow at him, which missed. Naraku took advantage of her temporary vulnerability immediately following the arrow; he managed to grip her injured arm tightly, digging his nails into the exposed skin before using his other hand to hit her hard in the stomach, eliciting a large _whoosh_ from her body.

Tears of pain sprung to Kagome's eyes as she pulled away from Naraku's grip. Attempting to ignore the pain, she focused on the goal.

_Kill him._

It quickly turned into an all-out battle, with Inuyasha and Kagome completely unable to land any hits on him. Kagome couldn't even hit him with any spiritual charms to paralyze him or knock him down.

As she dodged attacks and tried to deliver her own, Kagome tried to sense where the jewel was hidden in the room. Naraku's aura also began to shift as he exerted more energy.

His aura, as well as the jewel's aura, felt almost distorted now, as if they were…

Fake.

Kagome gasped and quickly turned to Inuyasha, who was trying to yet again hit Naraku with the Tessaiga.

"Inuyasha!" she shouted eagerly. "It's not really him! It's a fake!"

Inuyasha looked at her in surprise, which left him open to a full-force blow from Naraku. He was hit hard enough to knock him down.

Inuyasha groaned, but didn't get up.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried. She glared at Naraku, who chuckled.

"I'm impressed, Kagome," he said. "I figured I would be able to kill you before you figured it out, but I suppose you're more clever than I expected." His chuckle completely died down and for the first time, he sounded _angry_.

Naraku lunged at her, but instead of trying to dodge him, Kagome allowed him to hit her just enough to grip his hands.

She pulsed a large amount of spiritual energy into him, pulling a groan from him as he growled in pain.

Kagome found herself using more spiritual power than she'd ever used in her life. Finally, Naraku collapsed.

Kagome pulled the sword from her side and swiftly swiped it across Naraku.

His body disappeared, as did the pelt, until all that was left was a small wooden doll.

_No...it wasn't him_! she screamed internally. _This whole time...all of this was a set-up!_

She could still sense the distorted jewel, but it was now coming from right outside the window.

Kagome ran over to throw the window open before nearly falling out of it in her haste.

Kagura's smirking face greeted her as the wind sorceress floated in the air on her feather.

"Too bad that wasn't the real Naraku, huh?" she teased. "You would've been doing us all a favor if you'd managed to kill the real one."

Kanna was sitting silently next to Kagura, her gaze settled on the mirror in her lap.

"Where's the jewel?" Kagome demanded. "What did you do to it?"

Kagura nodded to Kanna. "Show her," she said.

Kanna lifted up the mirror before showing Kagome a reflection of the jewel in Naraku's grasp. He was smirking at her through the glass. Kanna had managed to push the jewel's aura through the mirror, which explained why it felt distorted as Kagome had grown closer to it.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked harshly. "Kikyo is _dead!_ What could you possibly want now?"

Naraku shook his head. "Oh, Kagome," he cooed. "If you only knew the plans I have. Unfortunately, you've proven much more difficult to kill than I had expected, so I've had to already put those plans into action even though you're not dead yet." He smiled. "Don't worry, though. You will find out soon enough."

"I'm going to send you straight to hell," Kagome growled murderously.

"Maybe next time," Naraku teased. "We will meet again." As if to taunt her even further, he allowed the aura of the jewel to pulse more intensely out of the mirror. It suddenly began calling out, for what Kagome was uncertain, but as she felt a nudge in her pocket, she realized what he was doing.

Her pocket finally ripped with the effort Naraku was using to lure the two shards back to the jewel.

"I'll _kill_ you!" Kagome bellowed as she tried to grasp the shards floating back to Naraku. Naraku was too quick, too strong, and the shards were soon pulled into the mirror.

Naraku laughed from behind the glass. "You'll have to find me first," he said. "Kagura, Kanna, return to me."

As a last ditch effort, Kagome quickly knocked an arrow and shot it at the mirror.

To her surprise, instead of shattering the glass, the arrow went _through_ it.

Naraku grunted in pain as he looked down at the arrow in his chest. Looking back at Kagome, he grinned.

"Once upon a time," he began, "that might have killed me. You've become just like your mother, Kagome. Not only have you fallen in love with a hanyo just like Kikyo did, but you've also allowed your powers to weaken from that pathetic love. The human in you strong, but _I_ am stronger."

Naraku yanked the arrow out of his chest before it dissolved in his hand. "We will meet again soon." His reflection disappeared from the mirror as Kanna lowered it back down to her lap.

"See ya!" Kagura called as she and Kanna flew away.

Kagome gaped out the window, unable to believe what had just transpired.

_He killed Mother...and...my power is weakening?_

A groan came from the room, causing Kagome to whirl around to see Inuyasha still sprawled on the ground.

"Inuyasha!" she said as she rushed over to his side. She fell to her knees and set a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay? Can you talk?"

Inuyasha grimaced in pain. "Yeah," he grunted. "He got me...in the ribs…"

Kagome bit her lip and gently felt along his rib cage. He yelped in pain as she ran her hands over the shattered bones.

"They're broken," she said, her voice thick. "There are only two still intact."

It was then that she allowed her tears to fall. She cried over the set-up, over the truth of her mother's death, over the horrific state in which Inuyasha had found himself. She cried over the fear of what Naraku had said about her power and if it could actually be true.

"Hey," Inuyasha murmured. "Don't cry. We'll destroy him...another time." He coughed as his breathing turned into a harsh wheeze.

Kagome's tears continued as she realized that Inuyasha quite possibly could have punctured a lung. All other thoughts flew from her mind as she took in just how badly he was injured.

"How long do you think it'll take you to heal from this?" she asked gently.

"A while," he admitted. "But less time than a human. It's a good thing this happened _after_ the new moon."

"Can you walk?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha nodded, a grimace soon coming back to his face as he began to sit up.

Kagome carefully helped him to rise from the ground. The effort caused beads of sweat to form on his forehead, making Kagome realize just how much of a toll this injury was taking on his body.

Allowing him to lean heavily on her, Kagome took one of his arms and gently settled it over her shoulders.

"Is your arm alright?" he asked as they began to walk slowly. Kagome nodded.

"It's fine," she replied. "I'll need to wrap it at some point, but it's okay right now."

Keeping a slow pace, they left the room and headed to where their comrades were waiting.

The heavy weight of failure settled on Kagome's heart. She was distraught and confused and _angry._

"Did you hear what Naraku said from out the window?" she asked Inuyasha as they continued through the castle.

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied, his breath coming in short pants. "It's...unbelievable...I can't...believe it."

Kagome sighed and fell back into silence.

_Where do we go from here?_

o.O.o

No matter how much Kagome tried to help, Inuyasha could barely move. He grimaced every time he moved a little too much. It seemed like every single movement aggravated his broken ribs, but Kagome figured it also had to do with the previous day's events.

Koga and his wolves had departed shortly after the failed battle the night before. They'd all been shocked by the news.

Koga had taken it worst of all.

"You stupid mutt!" he bellowed as Kagome had helped Inuyasha walk over to Miroku and Sango. "I knew I shouldn't have listened to your ridiculous _prophecy_. Look where it's gotten us! My wolves died for _nothing!_ "

Kagome glared up at Koga as she aided Inuyasha in sitting on the ground.

"None of us were expecting this," Kagome shot back. "We destroyed two members of the Band of Seven. That's a great accomplishment that your wolves were a part of! We can only move forward from here."

For the first time, Koga glared back at Kagome. The captain didn't shy away from his murderous stare; she just returned it.

"Fine," Koga finally spat. "We'll be at the eastern den. Come find us when you actually know how to win a fight." He paused. "And don't even bother asking for the jewel shards. It's obvious you can't be trusted with _anything_."

With that, he whistled for Ayame, Ginta, Hakkaku, and the rest of his wolves to leave with him.

When he was gone, Kagome bit her lip to keep her tears at bay as she began to wrap Inuyasha's ribs.

Miroku and Sango came to sit beside her, enveloping her in their comfort.

As the captain bandaged Inuyasha, she allowed herself to relish in the shared strength of Miroku and Sango.

"I'm sorry, guys," she murmured. "I should have figured it out sooner...I knew something was off with the jewel, but I didn't realize it in time. He took my jewel shards, too. Those are gone."

"We're here with you until the end," Sango said firmly. "You don't need to apologize for anything. We'll find Naraku again and you and Inuyasha will destroy him. It's _destiny_ , Kagome. None of us doubt that." She smiled. "And I have the third shard. Inuyasha gave it to me to hold onto after we killed Renkotsu."

Kagome sagged with relief. "Thank goodness," she murmured as Sango handed her the shard. "That means Naraku is missing three shards, which isn't a lot, but it's still something. Maybe it'll keep him from carrying out whatever he's planning."

Miroku nodded his agreement. "Whatever happens, Kagome, we're by your side."

Kagome finally half-smiled as she put the shard in her pocket before finishing up with wrapping Inuyasha's torso. "Thanks," she said to her two original comrades.

Kagome reflected on the exchange as she helped Inuyasha lay back down. She smoothed his bangs off his face as he smiled gratefully up at her.

"I don't think we'll be able to leave for another couple days," she said. "You're too injured to walk an entire week. I think even riding on Kirara would jostle you too much."

Inuyasha was obviously displeased, but he didn't argue. "We need to go see Sesshomaru as soon as we can," he replied. "We have to tell him what happened. I also wanna give him a piece of my mind for not even bothering to show up here. As soon as we get back to the ship, we should probably go straight there."

Kagome sighed and nodded. _How can we even go back to the ship?_ she wondered silently. _How can I show my face there? Then we have to go see the daiyoukai? I'm so ashamed…_

"Let Sango wrap your arm," Inuyasha said firmly. "I can smell how badly it's burned. You need to tend to it before it gets worse."

Kagome nodded as she held her arm out for Sango to examine the wound. It was painful enough to have Kagome gritting her teeth to the point of nearly grinding them into small pieces, but that pain was still nothing compared to the defeat that was settling heavily on her heart.

That night, as she lay next to Inuyasha, she tried to figure out how she would tell her crew about the failed battle.

"Kagome," he said softly. "I think you're starting to spiral." Kagome nearly jumped; she'd thought Inuyasha was asleep.

"You should rest," she replied as she rolled onto her side to face him. Inuyasha turned his head so he could look at her without jostling his injury. His golden eyes were serious, a firm frown settled on his lips.

"Kagome," he repeated seriously. "You should rest, too. If anything, I think you're feeling worse than I am."

Kagome looked away from him. "We failed, Inuyasha," she admitted. " _I_ failed. I was the one that started this whole thing and dragged you into it and now look what happened." She scoffed. "Kaede is gone, Koga lost some of his wolves during the battle...what next? Who's gonna die next because of my failure today?"

"Stop," Inuyasha said firmly. "You're not the only one that failed today. I failed, too. All we can do is learn from it and try to figure out what we'll do next. We underestimated Naraku. We won't do that again."

Guilt washed over Kagome as she realized how badly Inuyasha was feeling about their defeat. She sighed.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "I shouldn't have...I didn't...I'm sorry." Inuyasha reached out to take her hand.

"Come here," he murmured. Kagome looked up at him and carefully moved closer, so as to not bother his injury or her bandaged arm. When she was safely curled up against him, Inuyasha ran his claws through her hair.

Neither of them said anything else. As Inuyasha drifted off to sleep, Kagome's mind was still racing over the failure and the apparent weaking of her powers.

Those thoughts soon turned to how the _real_ battle would end, or when it would even _happen_.

They had no idea where Naraku was. Kagome had never been able to find him during her ten years on the sea, so she had no idea how she was supposed to go about continuing that impossible manner of searching, especially now that she knew his true nature.

There was also the issue of what his big plans were. Aside from killing Inuyasha and Kagome, the captain didn't know of anything else Naraku could possibly want to do.

_World domination?_ she wondered. _Immortality? What could he possibly want?_

She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but her throbbing arm and racing mind kept her awake. The same question ran through her head again and again.

_Where do we go from here?_

To be continued…


	13. Realizations and Decisions

**Chapter 13: Realizations and Decisions**

It took a full week for Inuyasha to recover enough for them to start going back to the ship.

His ribs were still sore, especially when Kagome would gently press on them to confirm that they were healing. Inuyasha was relieved; he'd been very badly injured. Now that he was on the mend, he had other things to think about.

Kagome.

She had yet to say anything more about what Naraku said about her powers, but Inuyasha knew that played a big part in her upset. She didn't tell the others about it, so Inuyasha didn't either.

A wall had come up between them, and even though they still slept less than a foot apart every night, Inuyasha could feel their minds fall off the wavelength they'd been on for what felt like forever now.

The hanyo didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to fix it.

On the first night back on the ship, Kagome was curled up against him, but she wasn't asleep. The crew had reacted better to the bad news than they'd expected, so there was at least that for her to be relieved about.

Inuyasha could feel her overwhelming sadness as he held her close. All he could think of to comfort her was to rub her back the way he knew she liked and attempt to soothe her.

It would eventually lull her to sleep, but he could tell that she never truly relaxed. Her brows were knit in her sleep, and her pulse seemed to never even out. She was a living ball of nerves and just overall _grief_.

" _Not only have you fallen in love with a hanyo just like Kikyo did, but you've also allowed your powers to weaken from that pathetic love."_

Naraku's observation had been on Inuyasha's mind since he first said it. He hadn't noticed a difference in Kagome's powers, but it wasn't like they'd ever really fought together.

_Actually,_ he realized, _we haven't ever fought together before this. I've been either off the ship or in our quarters when other pirates have attacked the ship. Even when we were fighting Naraku, we were just in the same room, not really fighting together._

Inuyasha cursed himself. If anyone would notice her powers waning, shouldn't it have been him?

As she lay against him, sleep obviously evading her, Inuyasha tried to figure out if he should say anything to her. The wall between the couple only seemed to separate them further.

So he said nothing.

When she finally fell asleep, Inuyasha nestled his nose in her hair and allowed her scent to ground him.

_What can I do?_ he wondered. _How can we fix this?_

o.O.o

On the third day they'd been back and had set sail for Sesshomaru's castle, Kagome hadn't improved much. She'd pretty much just folded in on herself, barely moving or talking to anyone.

That night, Inuyasha was out on the top deck looking out at the water. He figured Kagome would spend her time swimming with how upset she was, but she hadn't gotten in the water at all. Inuyasha had suggested it once or twice, but Kagome would just shake her head and curl up tighter in their bed.

The hanyo thought back to when Kagome had first shown him her ningyo form. It felt like forever ago, and he marveled at how different things were now.

The marvel turned to dread as he realized that things had changed so much _again_ in just one week.

_What do I do?_

"Can I join you?"

Inuyasha turned around to see Miroku climbing up onto the top deck. Looking away to face the ocean, Inuyasha shrugged.

"You already are, apparently."

Miroku walked over to stand next to Inuyasha. They stood quietly for a few minutes before Miroku spoke.

"It's been a rough couple of days for Kagome," he mused. "I wish there were more we could do. Naraku's escape is bothering her more than I could have ever imagined."

Inuyasha grimaced, knowing it went beyond just his escape. He knew she was upset about her powers, but he knew there was also the fact that she found out Naraku had killed her mother.

"Yeah," he replied curtly.

"I'm glad she has you," Miroku continued. "I mean, of course she has all of us, but your bond goes beyond any of us. Things would be very different without you around here."

_Yeah, starting with Kagome's powers…_

"Have you ever heard of someone's spiritual powers weakening?" Inuyasha asked. He knew Kaogme would probably prefer he not discuss the problem, but the hanyo needed some sort of help.

Miroku frowned. "What do you mean?" Inuyasha sighed and looked out at the water.

"Kagome's spiritual powers have weakened," he explained. "It's why we couldn't kill Naraku at the last minute. He said...he said it's because she's fallen in love. It's the same thing that happened with her mom." Inuyasha grimaced. "It's how Naraku managed to kill her."

Miroku's eyes widened. "Naraku killed Kikyo?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha affirmed. "Her powers had weakened because she fell in love with Kagome's father. In the end, that love was her downfall."

The monk hummed. "And now that appears to be happening with Kagome, right?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Have you ever heard of that happening?"

Miroku was quiet for a few moments before he finally spoke.

"I have not," he replied. "But I suppose it could be possible. Monks, miko, and priests all channel their spiritual energy completely. Now that a large part of Kagome's heart and soul has been channeled into her feelings for you, the focus on her powers has been abandoned."

Inuyasha frowned. "Then why hasn't that happened for you?" he asked. "You're just as in love with Sango." Miroku shrugged.

"I don't know," he replied. "I suppose it could be that Kagome was never formally trained. She went based on instinct and what few things her aunt taught her. That's not how I learned."

_That kinda makes sense,_ Inuyasha realized. _But how do we fix it?_

"So now what?" Inuyasha asked. "How do we get her powers back to normal?"

"Training," Miroku replied. "My powers are different, but I can still help her." Inuyasha nodded.

"I'll talk to her," he resolved. "Thank you." Miroku nodded.

"Anytime, my friend," he replied. "I can speak with Kagome tomorrow as well."

They stayed up there a while longer, occasionally engaging in casual conversation.

Inuyasha almost smiled.

_Who knew Miroku would be right about us becoming friends?_

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome hadn't left her quarters in three days.

She spent her time laying in her bed but very rarely sleeping. She didn't talk much unless it was to quietly thank Inuyasha for bringing her meals that she barely touched.

Sango would come into her quarters and lay in her bed with her, not speaking, just silently combing through her hair and occasionally humming a song as Kagome continued to spiral over their failure with Naraku. Sango would give her hair a final combing before leaning down to hug Kagome.

"I'm here if you need me," Sango would murmur. Kagome would reach up to return her hug, trying to put her gratitude in the embrace because it seemed like words were always escaping her.

Kagome's distraught demeanor hadn't really set in until they reached the ship. They departed from Naraku's castle as soon as Inuyasha was able to walk without grimacing. It had taken an entire week, so they spent the third week away from the ship walking in silence.

Kagome's mind had shut down, barely noticing when Inuyasha would brush his hand against hers. Naraku had killed her mother. And Kagome hadn't been able to kill him.

Then there was Inuyasha.

She loved him, she truly did, but Naraku's words were rolling around all throughout her mind. Had her love for Inuyasha really weakened her? Could the intensity of her feelings for him be causing her powers to recede?

Her father had never mentioned anything like that about her mother, but if Naraku was right, her father was probably just as distraught about it as she was.

But Kagome could feel it. She'd focused on her powers the night of the loss and could _feel_ the change in them. Kagome loved Inuyasha, and as much as she hated to admit it, Naraku was probably right.

_I thought I was stronger than this..._

And yet, Kagome couldn't bring herself to pull away from Inuyasha.

At night when he would pull her close, she didn't move away from the warmth he constantly offered. She would curl into him, inhaling his scent and relishing in the way his hands felt as he rubbed her back and silently comforted her. He'd immediately changed out of his Robe of the Fire Rat when they returned to the ship, and even though the fabric had been a little scratchy, Kagome missed it.

She should pull back, distance herself, just _stop_ until she could figure out what was happening.

Because it made her sick to think that if she hadn't been so weak, the arrow she shot in Kanna's mirror would have killed Naraku. She could have avenged not only every youkai he'd killed and fulfilled the prophecy, but avenged her mother as well.

But she didn't. And it was her fault.

Telling her crew about the battle nearly killed her. She'd dragged them along with her for ten years, so to fail them like this...it was unbearable.

They'd taken it better than she'd expected, with a few comforting words and promises of support. Her crew wouldn't leave her, and Kagome was overwhelmed with relief. That had at least gone well.

During the day, Inuyasha had been giving her space, as if sensing that her troubled mind included the concerns about their relationship. He hid the sting of it from her, but she knew him well enough to see it swimming under the surface. His eyes had darkened, the usual softening when he looked at her still there, but a few shades darker. There was guilt there, a sadness, but he didn't say anything about it.

At night, he would just hold her while Kagome tried to pretend things weren't such a mess.

It never worked.

When he came to their quarters that night, she stayed in her curled up position. Normally, she would say something to urge him to lay down, to wrap his arms around her, but she couldn't muster up the energy to even roll over to face him.

Inuyasha still walked over to the bed. After kicking his shoes off and putting on more comfortable sleeping clothes, he got under the covers and immediately pulled Kagome close.

Kagome finally did roll over, his warmth enticing and encouraging her. "Hi," she greeted softly. Inuyasha's hand ran up and down her back gently.

"Hey," he murmured. "So...I just talked with Miroku. I told him about what happened with Naraku."

Kagome frowned and sat up. "You told him?" she repeated. "Why would you do that?"

Inuyasha sighed and looked up at her. "Kagome," he began, "what happened affects everyone on this ship. I know it's hard to hear, but that's the truth."

The captain looked away. _Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry…_

She felt Inuyasha's hand move onto her arm to gently tug her back down into his arms.

"He had an idea," Inuyasha said once she was curled up against him again. Hesitant, Kagome frowned.

"Okay…" she replied hesitantly. "What was it?"

Inuyasha took a few moments to explain the conversation he'd had with Miroku.

It wasn't much of a shock to Kagome; she knew that a lot of her heart and soul really had been channelled into Inuyasha.

She sighed. She never intended to fall in love with him, but despite everything, she would never regret it.

"So I just need to train?" she asked. "How?"

Inuyasha ran his claws through her wild hair. "Miroku will tell you more about it tomorrow," he replied. "But this is good. There's a solution."

Relieved, Kagome nodded against his chest. "Sorry I've been so mopey," she muttered into his shirt. Inuyasha tightened his arms around her.

"You don't need to apologize," he replied. "Shippo has been dying to spend time with you, though. He's been...boisterous since we got back to the ship, so I figured it was best to keep him with Miroku or Sango."

Kagome laughed. "Poor Shippo," she said good-naturedly. "He should sleep in here for the next few nights. I've missed him."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Keh. There's not enough room in this bed for one more." Kagome lightly swatted him.

"Well, then I guess you'll have to bunk with Miroku for a while," she teased. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, causing her to dissolve into giggles.

When her laughing fit calmed down, Inuyasha smiled down at her.

"I've missed hearing you laugh," he said, his tone going serious. "You scared us, Kagome. The last few days...we were all really worried about you."

Kagome sighed. "I'm sorry," she replied. "It's just...with Kaede dying and then finding out that Naraku killed my mom and then now my powers are weakened...it's just been a lot. I haven't felt like this since my dad died."

Her hair trickled through Inuyasha's fingers as his claws combed through her locks.

"No one blames you for the last few days," he murmured. "We all love you. We just want you to be okay."

"I think I will be now," she said. "Now that we know what we can do...I'll be okay."

They were quiet for a few moments before Inuyasha spoke again.

"Do you...resent me for this?" he asked sheepishly. "That I'm the reason this happened?"

She pulled back so she could look up at him. His golden eyes reflected a genuine doubt and fear.

"Of course not," Kagome replied. "I mean, I wasn't expecting it, but I don't resent you for it. When it comes down to it, it's something within me. It wasn't necessarily _caused_ by you. I don't think my mother would have ever blamed my father, so I won't ever blame you."

Inuyasha finally seemed to relax. Nodding, he pulled her back to rest against him.

"I'm glad," he murmured. "I don't know what I would do if you did."

She held him tighter.

o.O.o

The next day, Kagome was quick to apologize to the crew for her upset. They were all incredibly understanding, but as captain of the ship, Kagome knew she couldn't let that happen again.

After breakfast, she asked Miroku about his proposed idea and they agreed to begin training.

Kagome hurried to her quarters to grab her bow and quiver of arrows before coming back up to the deck.

"Ready," she announced. "How should we do this?" Miroku smiled.

"You won't need weapons right now," he replied. "We're meditating."

Kagome nodded. "Alright," she said as she sat down and assumed the position. "Are we clearing our minds?" Miroku shook his head.

"You need to focus on your feelings for Inuyasha," he explained. "Follow the line of thought and allow it to fill your mind."

Kagome blushed and was grateful that they'd asked for privacy on the deck while they trained. If Inuyasha had been around when she had to do this, she would have been mortified.

"Okay," she agreed before closing her eyes. She thought about Inuyasha and soon focused on him.

Her feelings for him washed over her in a warmth she'd come to love so deeply. Her senses were overwhelmed by the golden color of his eyes and the silver shine of his long hair and how much she loved seeing the stark contrast against her dark locks as they lay curled up in their bed.

She felt her heartbeat pick up as she focused on the beautiful way he touched her. She focused on the way she felt when he held her, kissed her, or told her he loved her. The peace that came over her was immediate, soothing, calming. Her love for him overwhelmed her and grounded her.

"Are you focused?"

Miroku's voice startled her, but she managed to keep most of her thoughts on her feelings.

"Yes," she replied quietly. "Now what?"

"Try to shift what you're feeling to your powers," he explained. Kagome nodded and completely focused back on her previous train of thought.

When she tried to channel her feelings into her powers, an imaginary block appeared and jolted her back.

Her eyes shot open as her breathing picked up.

Miroku was watching her, waiting for her to speak.

Kagome put a hand to her face and shook her head. "I-I can't. There's something blocking my power."

Miroku nodded. "You've found it."

Kagome huffed. "Now what? How do I get rid of it?"

The monk thought for a moment. "I think you just need to start from scratch in a way," he replied. "Relearn how to use your powers. I don't think they will ever be the same." When Kagome started to argue, Miroku held up his hand. " _But_ I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing. This honestly might make you stronger."

Kagome frowned. _That makes sense, but starting from square one? I was never even formally trained…_

"How do I do that?" she asked. "I wasn't trained by any miko in the first place. I don't really have a 'scratch' to start from."

"Your charms still work," Miroku reminded her. "They worked on Koga. I think you just need to relearn how to channel your power into your bow."

Kagome nodded. "Okay," she conceded. " _Now_ is it time for me to use my bow?" At Miroku's affirmation, Kagome stood up and grabbed her bow and an arrow from her quiver.

Miroku stood up next to her and encouraged her to try shooting.

Kagome took a deep breath and tried to focus her power into the arrow.

It didn't work. The arrow just disintegrated after being shot.

She huffed and knocked another arrow.

That one didn't work either.

After three more failed shots, Miroku finally set his hand on her arm.

"It's not working right now," he said gently. "Take a break, okay?" Kagome didn't meet his gaze, instead choosing to frown at the bow.

_Why is this so hard? I always went based on instinct._

She grimaced. Now instinct wasn't enough.

The more she tried, the more something felt off. In all honesty, it felt like the problem went beyond just her feelings for Inuyasha.

But if that wasn't the cause, what was?

O.o.O.o.O

Eight days into their three week journey back to Sesshomaru's castle, Kagome hadn't made any progress.

Inuyasha could tell she was at her wit's end, and the guilt of it was eating Inuyasha alive. Every time she failed to meditate or was unable to channel her power into her bow, Inuyasha could see it killing her a little more.

Many of her arrows had been destroyed during her unsuccessful training, so she'd announced that they needed to dock at the closest town so she could buy more.

Inuyasha was worried about her; they all were. The captain was slowly unraveling, and every destroyed arrow seemed to kick her down a little more.

When they reached the nearest town, the trip to get more arrows was quick. They picked up a couple of other things before heading back to the ship.

They planned to set sail that night after reorganizing their supplies and eating dinner. As they ate, Kagome announced that she needed to take a break from training to conserve her arrows.

Inuyasha knew she really just needed a break from the constant disappointment she faced every day...because of him.

So he came up with a plan. It was a bad one, one he didn't like, but it was all he could think of.

After Kagome had gone to their quarters after dinner, Inuyasha approached Miroku, Sango, and Shippo about it. The monk didn't seem to like the idea, but he didn't try to change Inuyasha's mind.

All that was left was telling Kagome.

O.o.O.o.O

When Inuyasha entered their quarters, Kagome couldn't muster up the strength to even look at the door. She was exhausted from the constant training and disappointment that came from it. She expected Inuyasha to come straight to her and curl up in their bed, but he didn't.

There was a pause, a tense silence for a moment.

"Kagome," he finally said. "I've been thinking…"

There was something so firm, so final, in his voice that Kagome found herself rolling over slightly to catch the look on his face. All she could see was dread.

She rolled the rest of the way over before sitting up to face him.

"What is it?" she asked.

Inuyasha didn't meet her gaze. "I should leave. I think that would be best." Kagome's eyes widened, but words escaped her.

"I'm going to leave tonight before the ship sets sail," he continued. "And...I'm gonna go find Sesshomaru on foot and talk to him. I'll find a way to let you know what he says. Once we get word of where Naraku is, then...then I'll come back for us to defeat him."

_He wants to leave...he wants to_ leave _me._

"Why?" she whispered.

Inuyasha grabbed his bag and began putting his things inside. After that was done, he came over to sit on the bed, leaving a good distance between them.

"I can see it eating away at you," he admitted. "This is _killing_ you, Kagome. If I leave for a little while, you can focus on getting your powers back to how they were. If we're together, I don't think that can happen."

Inuyasha's words somehow managed to kill her even more, but she knew she wouldn't be able to break his resolve.

"Okay," she replied, her voice shaky. "Have you talked to the others about it?"

Inuyasha nodded. "We said our goodbyes." He sighed. "But you, Kagome...I don't know how to say goodbye to you."

Tears welling up in her eyes, Kagome weakly held her arms up. Inuyasha wasted no time in moving toward her and crushing her in his embrace. He held her for a moment before leaning down to kiss her.

There was a deep sadness behind the kiss, a dreaded goodbye, and a prelude to separation.

He pulled away sooner than she wanted and touched his forehead to hers.

"I love you," he murmured.

Kagome couldn't speak; if she did, she would lose it.

She wanted to beg him to stay, to not leave, to lay down with her in their bed and never leave, but she didn't.

She briefly recalled Midoriko's warning to stay together, but the situation had changed. _Kagome_ had changed.

Inuyasha kissed the top of her head once more. He looked deeply into her eyes before ruffling her bangs a final time.

_This needs to happen. He needs to leave. But...I've been feeling like maybe there's something else blocking my power. If that's true and it's not just my feelings that are causing the problem, would he still want to leave?_

Before she could even ask, he was gone.

Kagome didn't cry. She didn't call for him, and she didn't argue. She was numb, empty.

But he was still gone.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha ran faster than he'd ever run before.

Leaving Kagome was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. His instincts were screaming at him to stop, to go back, to stay with her.

Midoriko had said to not separate, but what else was he supposed to do? Let Kagome's powers continue to weaken because of him? No. He couldn't do that.

So he just kept running.

The look on Kagome's face before he left their quarters was flashing through his mind as he pumped his legs forward. He could see the hurt, but there was also something else.

_Should I have waited?_ he wondered. _Did I leave too soon?_

He shook his head. _I can't think like that right now._

Inuyasha ran the entire way to the castle, only stopping twice. All he wanted to do was talk to Sesshomaru and _end_ this. He needed to figure out where Naraku was so he could get back to Kagome.

Truth be told, when Inuyasha finally reached the barrier to Sesshomaru's castle, he was exhausted. He'd been running at full-speed for four days. He'd never run halfway across the country, so he hadn't known how long it would take. Four days was decent time, but it had taken a physical toll on him.

But he pushed himself forward.

He passed through the barrier and began making his way to the castle.

Inuyasha could sense Sesshomaru inviting him in, but he didn't miss the confused undertones in his aura.

Inuyasha huffed. _He's probably gonna chew me out because of all this,_ he realized. _But I'll do the same to him. What ruler doesn't show up to a battle like that?_

The hanyo barely acknowledged the guards that bowed to him as he entered. When he reached the throne room, he glared at the door.

He threw the door open and walked in to find Sesshomaru reading a scroll while sitting on his throne. Asahi was perched on the arm of the throne with her bare feet on Sesshomaru's lap. The daiyoukai's hand was gently running soothingly on her knee as he spoke to her quietly.

The sight made Inuyasha sick. _Sesshomaru_ made him sick.

"You wanna explain to me why you didn't bother showing up to fight Naraku?"

At Inuyasha's shout, Sesshomaru looked up at him, unsurprised at his rage.

"Hello to you, too, Inuyasha," he droned. "Did you succeed?"

Inuyasha glared at him. "No," he spat. "We didn't."

Asahi looked from Sesshomaru to Inuyasha before standing up. She settled a hand on the small swell of her stomach as she bowed to Inuyasha.

"It's good to see you," she said. "I'll leave you two to...um, talk."

Inuyasha couldn't even look at her. The fact that she was carrying Sesshomaru's _hanyo_ was eating him up inside.

When Asahi was gone, Sesshomaru focused on Inuyasha.

"Explain what happened," Sesshomaru ordered.

Inuyasha angrily told him about the entire battle. He didn't mention what Naraku said about Kagome's powers yet. He wanted to yell at Sesshomaru about his absence first.

"So thanks for going soft at the worst time possible," Inuyasha growled sarcastically. "I guess taking care of your _hanyo_ baby is more important than helping to destroy your _people's_ enemy!"

Sesshomaru didn't speak for a moment, only staring at Inuyasha.

"I am unable to tell what is angering you more," he said. "The fact that Asahi is pregnant or that I didn't come to help."

"That's hardly the issue," Inuyasha sneered. "You berate Father for marrying a human and then belittle _me_ my entire life for being a hanyo and then what do you go and do? Marry a human and impregnate her with a hanyo!"

Sesshomaru didn't answer him.

"Whatever," Inuyasha spat. "Don't answer me. Don't take responsibility for anything. Asahi would have been _fine_ here if you'd left. It's not a good enough reason for not coming."

Sesshomaru sighed. "I didn't stay here because of Asahi," he finally said. "That was a lie I told Koga."

Inuyasha frowned. "So what, you just didn't want to come?"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "You are truly simple-minded. Things have been happening in the youkai community. That is why I remained here."

That caught Inuyasha off-guard. "What do you mean? What's going on?"

"Youkai are being attacked," Sesshomaru explained. "It's different from what pirates are doing or even what was happening in the Great War. I've had many reports from all over Japan. Youkai are disappearing or are found dismembered. I have been trying to figure out what the best response is to this issue. That is why I did not go."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Have you figured anything out?" he asked.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "I am trying to find similarities or find something to connect them all, but I have been unsuccessful as of yet."

The hanyo was surprised to see the troubled look on Sesshomaru's face. It made Inuyasha realize just how worried Sesshomaru was about this.

_This isn't good…_

"Where is Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked. "Her scent is all over you, but it's old."

Inuyasha grimaced. "We decided to part ways for a while," he replied, trying to keep the pain from leaking into his voice.

Sesshomaru frowned. "Why? The prophecy requires you two to remain together." Inuyasha frowned right back.

"Well, things changed," he retorted. "After the battle with Naraku...things changed." Sesshomaru looked at him expectantly, and Inuyasha knew he wouldn't let it drop.

Inuyasha huffed. "Kagome almost killed Naraku," he began, "but her arrow was too weak. Her powers...they've weakened because she's fallen in love."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "With you, I presume?" Looking away, Inuyasha nodded.

"So I left," the hanyo continued. "I figured she could train and put her powers back in balance. I came here to tell you about the battle and to tell you I think you're a jerk for not coming."

Sesshomaru ignored the insult. "And how did you come to the conclusion that her powers have weakened? Especially from love?"

"Naraku told us he killed Kikyo," Inuyasha explained. "He said he was able to because she'd fallen in love with Kagome's father. When Kagome shot the arrow into the mirror, Naraku said it would have killed him if her powers hadn't weakened like her mother's did before she died."

The daiyoukai nodded and seemed to mull over the new information.

"Well," he finally said, "I think you're an idiot."

Inuyasha's eyes widened before he growled. "Excuse me?"

Sesshomaru huffed and rolled his eyes. "You and Kagome are going to fight Naraku _together,_ correct?" Inuyasha nodded.

"Yeah, which is why she needs to get her powers back on track."

"You are so near-sighted," Sesshomaru continued. "You need to combine your powers and your strengths. You two fought Naraku, but it wasn't together. Therein lies a problem."

Inuyasha frowned. "How?" Sesshomaru shook his head.

"You two need to learn how to fight as one," he explained. "Leaving her is the worst possible thing you could have done."

Inuyasha growled. "Shut up!" he shouted. "You weren't there when it was happening or afterwards! You haven't seen Kagome. She's a mess. She's distraught."

"Your decision is born from guilt," Sesshomaru countered. "You should have been stronger as well. This is not just Kagome's fault."

"Of course I know that," Inuyasha retorted harshly. "I'm doing what's best right now."

Sesshomaru suddenly stood up and glared at Inuyasha.

"You are a fool," he said. "What is best is for you and Kagome is to remain together and learn to fight _together_. You must learn to combine your powers. Kagome has changed since meeting you. Her powers shifting is most likely not the problem. The problem is that you two have not learned to combine your powers into one."

Inuyasha didn't speak for a moment as he focused on Sesshomaru's words.

_Could he be right?_ he wondered. _We never trained together...I don't think it even dawned on us to do that._ Inuyasha's eyes widened.

Sesshomaru was right.

"What do I do now?" Inuyasha conceded.

"Draw your sword," Sesshomaru commanded. Confused, Inuyasha drew the Tessaiga.

At its transformation, Sesshomaru nodded. "Good. You were able to transform the Tessaiga. Why on earth would you think it was a good idea to part ways from Kagome?"

Inuyasha sheathed the Tessaiga, regret coursing through.

"I'll go back," he said. "I'll find her."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Good," he replied. "I must say, though...Kagome's aura was overwhelmingly strong when I last saw her. If I had to guess, I would say it took a lot more than a silly crush to change her powers."

Inuyasha frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It is possible," Sesshomaru began, "that the issue with her powers was not caused by something as trivial as her feelings. Something much stronger is at play. I suspect it quite possibly could have happened with her mother as well. Strong miko don't just lose their powers when they fall in love."

Inuyasha thought for a moment. _Could he be right? Could something else be causing this block with Kagome's powers? I should have stayed...we should have learned to fight_ together _. Maybe that would have helped us figure out what might really be happening._

"I don't know," Inuyasha admitted. "But...I need to go back to her."

"Good," Sesshomaru replied. "And you have no leads on Naraku?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Nothing."

"Then I have an assignment for you," Sesshomaru said. "It should be rather simple so you can do it on your way to find Kagome."

Inuyasha frowned. _Since when does he trust me enough to do stuff for him?_

"What is it?" he asked.

Sesshomaru almost, _almost_ seemed to hesitate.

"There has been word of a possible youkai that has been in hiding for several years," the daiyoukai explained. "I need you to find out if these rumors are true."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "Normally I would say it would be impossible for a youkai to exist without you knowing," Inuyasha shot back, "but we all know that's not quite true anymore, right, Sessho? Naraku certainly escaped your notice for about fifty years."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "Would you rather insult me further or hear the rest of the task and get back to Kagome?"

Frowning, Inuyasha narrowed his brow. "Find a youkai and add him to the records. That sounds too simple. What's the catch?" Sesshomaru's gaze turned to slight dread.

"The youkai might be a hanyo," he replied flatly.

Inuyasha just stared at him.

Then he laughed.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Inuyasha said as his laughter gave way to anger. "Now you're concerned about every hanyo in existence?" He scoffed. "I guess I can't say all hanyo. We both know how much you despise _my_ existence."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "You need to learn how to control your temper," he replied. "It gets the best of you more often than not." The daiyoukai eyed the hanyo for a moment.

"I have chosen you for this task out of respect," Sesshomaru continued. "Respect for _you_ , as well as the other hanyo. Who better to help a hanyo than another hanyo?"

There was something lingering in Sesshomaru's tone. _Is it shame?_ Inuyasha wondered. _Regret?_

"Fine," Inuyasha finally conceded. "If I find the hanyo, I'll be in touch. I'll need directions or something to find him."

Sesshomaru rose from his throne and beckoned Inuyasha to follow him out of the room.

"I figured you would arrive after the battle with Naraku around this time to give an update," Sesshomaru explained. "Well, give or take a week or two, so I've had this assignment ready for whenever you returned here."

The daiyoukai led Inuyasha into an ornate office with papers scattered all over the desk. Large windows canvassed one wall, allowing beams of light to illuminate the mess. The walls were covered by built-in bookshelves completely filled with books. Everything was neat in the office except for Sesshomaru's desk.

Despite the overall neatness, the whole room emitted an aura of deep stress, and Inuyasha wondered if there was more happening than Sesshomaru was letting on.

"Is that all stuff about the random attacks?" Inuyasha asked.

Rifling through the piles of paper on his desk, Sesshomaru nodded. "They are reports of the incidents. I am still trying to get through them all."

A moment later, Sesshomaru found what he was looking for and handed it to Inuyasha. Peering at it, Inuyasha saw that it was a simple scroll with a tie keeping it rolled up.

"That is a map," Sesshomaru explained. "Along with some basic information about the potential hanyo. It should have everything you need in it."

Inuyasha nodded before glancing at the disastrous desk again.

"Do you want me to help you?" he offered. "I mean, I don't really care that much, but I could still help for a little while." He was lying, of course. He _did_ care about the youkai community.

Sesshomaru looked up at him, his usual calculating expression there, but there was something else in his gaze.

"I suppose," he replied coolly. "We must find some sort of link connecting the attacks."

Inuyasha nodded and grabbed some of the papers before taking a seat in a vacant chair near the desk.

Given the size of the pile on Sesshomaru's desk, they were going to be there awhile.

O.o.O.o.O

Two days after Inuyasha left, Kagome had pulled herself together.

_I can't mope around,_ she scolded herself. _I'm a strong woman, a strong_ miko _. My training will prove that._

After breakfast, Kagome met Miroku up on the deck. She'd told him she was ready to resume training, so she'd grabbed her bow and arrows soon after the meal.

Once they'd meditated for a few moments, Kagome stood up and knocked an arrow.

She'd still felt the block during their meditation, but it had shifted. The captain took it as a good sign, despite the odd twinge of something she couldn't quite name.

Ignoring it, she focused all of her power into an arrow and aimed for the ocean as usual so as not to accidentally hit anyone.

When she let the arrow go, the twinge from her meditation burst through her body, paralyzing her and stealing the breath from her lungs.

She heard the bow drop from her hands before falling to the deck. She saw Miroku look at her in horror as she felt herself begin to collapse.

When he urgently called her name, his voice seemed far away and quiet. Kagome tried to keep her eyes open to say something, _anything_ , but it became too difficult.

And then everything went black.

To be continued…


	14. The Hanyo's Hope and the Captain's Hell

**Chapter 14: The Hanyo's Hope and the Captain's Hell**

Sango combed through Kagome's hair, being mindful of the knots within the long locks. She hummed a soft song as she went about her task.

It had only been a few days since Kagome had suddenly collapsed on the deck during a training session with Miroku, but it felt like much longer.

It had been terrifying; Sango immediately ran up to the deck when Miroku began hollering for her, only to find Kagome lying limp on the ground.

"What happened?" Sango shouted. "What's wrong with her?"  
"We were training," Miroku explained quickly as he moved Kagome onto her back. "She just collapsed."

Sango looked down at Kagome and bit her lip. "Why do you think it happened?"

Miroku frowned. "Inuyasha is gone...maybe that had something to do with it. This is our first training session since he left." Sango felt tears brimming in her eyes. Anger at Inuyasha sparked in her heart, but she tried to tamper down her anger. She needed to focus on Kagome right now.

"Let's get her to her quarters," Sango ordered urgently.

Pulling herself from her thoughts, Sango sighed and continued running the comb through Kagome's hair. She briefly remembered doing this during the few days after returning from the battle with Naraku, and a new pang of sadness coursed through her.

There was no real expression on Kagome's face. No pain, no upset, nothing. Sango ran the comb through a final knot before setting it down on the bed beside her.

She set her hands in her lap as she gazed sadly at Kagome. She wanted nothing more than to see her open her blue eyes and smile.

"Kagome," Sango murmured, "what's going on inside your head?"

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome woke up with a jolt, the heavy weight of a blanket on top of her bringing her to consciousness.

She was in her bed in her quarters on the ship, and the realization that she'd finally woken up washed over her in waves of relief.

Kagome sat up and looked around the room. There was something strange about it, different maybe, but she was so relieved about finally being awake that she didn't pay it any mind.

The captain jumped up and ran to the door, eager to find Miroku and Sango and figure out why she'd fainted in the first place.

When she threw the door open, the wooden corridor she'd been expecting wasn't there. Instead, it was a dark room she only vaguely recognized. She frowned as she walked further into the room, not realizing that the door behind her disappeared as soon as she'd walked through it.

Suddenly, another door was shoved open and a bright flicker of candlelight illuminated the room. Kagome closed her eyes at the sudden bright assault on her eyes.

"Kagome!"

When she opened her eyes at the call of her voice, Kagome found herself in a small bed. She was tucked under the blankets, the epitome of cozy, but it felt _weird_. She sat up and looked around her.

Eyes widening, she recognized it as the bedroom she'd had in the home she'd shared with her parents near the very beginning of her life.

Turning to find the source of the voice, Kagome found a man holding a candle, his sea-green eyes filled with concern and a frown marring his inhumanly-tinted skin.

_Dad?_

"Kagome darling, we have to hurry," he said, gently but firmly. "Something has happened and we must leave right now."

Kagome frowned at him. "But why, Daddy?" she asked, surprised at how high-pitched and youthful her voice sounded. "I'm trying to sleep like a big kid."

Her father had a pained expression on his face as he set the candle down on Kagome's little desk. He quickly went about grabbing a bag from her wardrobe and filling it with clothing and several other items.

Kagome was confused; she knew this was probably a memory she was reliving based on her position and the very obvious fact that she was now in the body of herself as a toddler.

But all she could focus on was her father packing her things and wondering what exactly was happening.

"What happened, Daddy?" Kagome pressed. "Why do we have to leave?" Her father paused his frantic packing to set his gaze on her. He sighed before coming to sit down on the bed next to her.

"We have to go see your Aunt Kaede, okay?" he soothed. "Something...something happened to your mommy."

Kagome knit her brows together in confusion. "Did Mommy get hurt fighting the mean humans?" she asked.

Her father didn't answer; instead, he opened his arms, silently inviting Kagome into his embrace. When she moved toward him, her father held her close.

"Mommy isn't coming home, Kagome," he murmured. "She...she died."

Kagome froze. She was young, but being from such a spiritual family meant she understood the topics of life and death. It wasn't uncommon to hear about, especially during a time filled with so much hate and violence between humans and youkai.

"Do you understand, darling?" her father asked gently. Kagome nodded.

"Mommy can't come back," she replied. "She can't...ever…" The young Kagome dissolved into quiet cries within the folds of her father's arms.

He held her close, and Kagome could feel his own tears falling into her hair. The sheer agony and pain from her mother's death ripped through her childish heart and instilled in her a maturity and wisdom that could be rivaled by nothing else.

Kagome was suddenly ripped from her tiny body, falling onto the floor and being forced to watch the rest of the scene unfold as a bystander.

She watched as her father silently comforted the crying child version of herself.

Kagome's eyes brimmed with tears as she took in the horrifically saddening interaction. Now in adulthood, she was feeling the raw emotions she hadn't been capable of feeling as a child after receiving the news of her mother's death.

Kagome closed her eyes and looked away. She couldn't take it.

Her father's avoidance of Kagome's question of who was responsible for her mother's death echoed in her head. _Did he know that Naraku was the one to kill Mother? Is that why he said we needed to leave immediately? Did he know Naraku would come after us?_

She hurried toward the door through which her father had entered. Kagome threw it open and just _ran_. She needed to put as much distance between herself and the memory as possible.

She ran straight into darkness, which sparked a fear in her, but it was quickly overpowered by the relief of no longer being trapped in the memory.

So she just kept running.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha was feeling annoyingly edgy. It had been three days since he'd left Sesshomaru's castle, and every day that passed made the odd feeling worse.

He hoped Kagome was alright.

Inuyasha sighed as he walked through a lush forest. He would return to her as soon as he was finished with Sesshomaru's task. They hadn't been able to draw any solid conclusions from the reports of the attacks, so he'd left the castle after a rather frustrating few hours of scouring through the seemingly never-ending piles of paper on Sesshomaru's desk.

After he left, Inuyasha had consulted the map enough to pretty much have the route solidified in his memory. He would only have to walk for another day or two before finding the supposed hanyo. Apparently, the person for whom he was seeking lived on the outskirts of a farming village, but had never been caught by humans. If Sesshomaru's source was correct, the hanyo had been living there for _decades_. That was almost unheard of.

Inuyasha clenched his fists at his side. _Kagome would have loved this,_ he mused. _Meeting another hanyo like her father? Like...me? She would be so ecstatic to see him._

Inuyasha spent the entire trek to the other hanyo's village cursing himself for being stupid enough to think leaving the ship had been a good idea. As much as he hated to admit it, Sesshomaru seemed to know what he was talking about when it came to the prophecy.

Inuyasha had failed. No matter how hard he'd tried, no matter how selfless he'd tried to be, he'd failed.

He huffed. _I just need to quickly wrap up this mission and then I can get back to Kagome._

His mantra swam through his head as he quickly made his way to the town. Near late evening, he started to hear and smell humans nearby. He threw his hood up and hovered behind the cover of the treeline as he came upon the bustling activity.

It was a tiny farming town. There were only a dozen or so houses perched in front of several fields of growing crops. There were a few farmers working the land, but that was it.

_I don't think I've ever seen such a small town_ , Inuyasha realized. _This looks more like an old village than a town._

As he walked along, he didn't sense anything odd. It wasn't until he'd walked nearly completely past all signs of civilization that he felt a prickle along his senses.

It was one of the calmest auras he'd ever felt, but it was laced with sadness. Inuyasha's throat clenched; whatever this hanyo was sad about, Inuyasha had probably felt it, too.

Inuyasha nearly rolled his eyes. _Stupid Sesshomaru._

When he found the source of the aura, he saw a small hut partially hidden by a mess of vines and trees. If it hadn't been for Inuyasha's keen senses, he wouldn't have been able to find it. It was a perfect hiding spot.

_Looks like I found him._

Inuyasha silently approached the house, remaining out of sight, and began to slowly flare his aura to call out to the other hanyo.

In all honesty, Inuyasha had never met another hanyo, so it was strange to feel an aura so similar to his. The other hanyo's aura soon began to respond, so Inuyasha carefully moved closer to the hut, waiting for an official invitation from the hanyo.

"Ma, there's something outside!"

Inuyasha heard the warning from his hiding spot among the trees.

"What is it?" a woman's voice croaked in response.

"It's someone with an aura just like mine," the hanyo replied. Inuyasha soon heard heavy footsteps descend from the house until a large youkai emerged from inside.

Inuyasha's eyes widened at the sight. The hanyo was large and brown, with gigantic blue eyes and a horse-like face.

_He's a_ hanyo? _He looks more youkai than some full-youkai I've met._

"Hello?" the hanyo called quietly. "Are you there?"

Taking that as an invitation, Inuyasha emerged from the trees.

"I'm here," he called back.

The hanyo jumped and turned to face Inuyasha.

"Wow," the hanyo breathed. "You're a _youkai_." Inuyasha couldn't help but smile.

"That I am," he replied. "Only half, though."

The hanyo's large blue eyes widened. "You're only half?" he repeated. "That's why your aura felt so similar. I'm a hanyo, too. My name is Jinenji."

Inuyasha nodded at the official introduction. Jinenji's massive eyes rivaled Totosai's in size, and he towered over Inuyasha. Jinenji didn't look anything like a human, and Inuyasha wondered how on earth he'd made it his far without getting caught by any humans.

"I'm Inuyasha," he replied. "Can we talk for a little while? I was sent by the daiyoukai."

Jinenji frowned. "What's a daiyoukai?" he asked. Inuyasha frowned back.

_Yikes, looks like he doesn't know much about the youkai community. He's got a lot to learn._

"Maybe I can explain inside?" Inuyasha suggested. Jinenji nodded excitedly before motioning for Inuyasha to follow him back inside the small house.

"Jinenji, did you see anything out there?" the croaky voice called when they walked in the house.

Inuyasha entered to see an ancient-looking woman stoking a fire with a pot cooking over the flames. If he couldn't tell by her aura that she was a human, Inuyasha would have thought that _she_ was the youkai parent. Jinenji had called her _Ma._ Inuyasha would have called her _Grandma_ or maybe something a bit more offensive.

"This is Inuyasha," Jinenji explained. "He's here to..." Jinenji paused and looked at Inuyasha. "Why are you here again?"

Inuyasha chuckled. "I was sent by the daiyoukai," he began. "Jinenji mentioned that he didn't know what that was, so I'll go ahead and explain."

Inuyasha quickly went through a brief rundown of Sesshomaru and what his position was, as well as the assignment he'd given to Inuyasha.

"Wow," Jinenji breathed. "I had no idea. Ma, isn't that all amazing?"

Jinenji's mother scoffed. "Well, you've confirmed his existence," she said harshly to Inuyasha. "It's time for you to go now, right?"

Inuyasha hesitated. "Well, I was told to gather some information on Jinenji's parents, so…"

Jinenji's mother huffed. "I'm a human and his father was a youkai. He died when I was pregnant with Jinenji. It was a quick but passionate love affair. No one knows about Jinenji, not even his father's remaining family."

Jinenji looked at his mother in disbelief. "But...you told me that they were all dead," he said. "Some of Pa's family is still alive?"

His mother looked at him sadly. "Jinenji, please," she pleaded. "The world isn't kind to youkai. I don't know where your pa's family is, and even if I did, there's no way to know if we would or wouldn't be harmed during a search to find them. Or if they'd even accept us! I'm sorry I lied, but…"

Jinenji looked away. "I understand," he replied curtly, his soft voice sounding much less cheerful than just a few moments ago. He turned his attention back to Inuyasha. "What else do you need?"

Inuyasha hesitated. He'd gathered all the information he'd needed, but he didn't really want to leave just yet.

"Well," Inuyasha began, "do _you_ have any questions? About the youkai community, youkai powers, or anything like that?"

Jinenji paused, his mind obviously mulling over what Inuyasha said.

"You're an inu-hanyo?" Jinenji asked. At Inuyasha's affirmative nod, Jinenji glanced at him. "So...does that mean you can bark?"

If anyone else ever asked him that, Inuyasha wouldn't have hesitated to start throwing punches.

But the way Jinenji asked, so kindly and innocently, just made Inuyasha smile.

"No," Inuyasha replied. "I don't think so."

Jinenji seemed a little embarrassed by the question, so Inuyasha decided to change the subject.

"I can't believe you've never been noticed by humans," he commented. "Normally there's at least one spiritual leader in each town, but I didn't sense any in the one nearby. That could be why."

Jinenji nodded, but confusion had come to his face when Inuyasha mentioned a spiritual leader.

_Man, he really has been sheltered…_

Then Inuyasha realized something.

"Wait," he began, "so you've never been to the neighboring town? Or anywhere?" Jinenji shook his head.

"I've never left this area," he replied. "I have a garden my pa left me a little deeper in the forest, but other than that, no."

Inuyasha frowned. "Then how did someone know you were here? Who could have been the source?"

Jinenji's eyes widened as he turned to his mother. "Do you think people in the town know we're here?" he asked, his voice leaking fear.

Jinenji's mother looked just as terrified. "I don't know...but if they do, they'll probably come for us."

Inuyasha shook his head. "The report of Jinenji came about a month ago," he explained. "If they haven't come for you yet, I doubt they ever will. Sesshomaru's reports typically come from youkai that overhear human conversations. That means a youkai would have heard something."

_None of this makes any sense,_ Inuyasha stressed. _How would the humans know Jinenji was here? And why hasn't the town attacked?_

"I think the town knows about you," Inuyasha admitted, confirming Jinenji and his mother's fear. "I think they know you're here."

"We have to move," Jinenji's mother said immediately. "Pack up your stuff, Jinenji. We're leaving right away."

"No!" Jinenji argued. "We can't leave. Pa's garden is here!"

His mother opened her mouth to argue but Inuyasha quickly stopped her.

"Let me scope out the village," Inuyasha offered. "I can see if I hear anyone talking about him. If they know about a giant youkai living near their town, I'm sure they'll be talking about it."

Jinenji looked at his mother hopefully. "Let Inuyasha do it, Ma. Maybe they don't plan on hurting us. Maybe...maybe they would be nice to us."

Jinenji's mother sighed and finally nodded. "Alright," she conceded. "Inuyasha, be careful."

The inu-hanyo nodded and smiled at them. "I got you covered. I'll go right now."

"Good luck," Jinenji called as Inuyasha left the house.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome kept running until her legs finally gave out.

She collapsed in the darkness and dropped her head in her hands.

"What's happening?" she murmured out loud. "Where am I?"

"You're in your head," a loud voice called.

Kagome looked up to find that she was no longer in darkness.

It was still dark, but it was a natural kind of darkness. She was outside under the moon, kneeling on a dirt road with no one else in sight.

"Who said that?" she yelled. "Who are you?"

The voice didn't answer; all Kagome heard were heavy footsteps behind her.

When she turned around, she saw a slightly younger version of herself running down the road with her father.

He had a tight grip on her hand as he tugged her along.

"You have to hurry, darling," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "We have to keep going."

The younger Kagome nodded, obviously very winded, but she kept running at his side.

As she watched the sight before her, recognition flashed.

This was the night her father was killed by Naraku.

Kagome jumped to her feet and looked around for any sight of Naraku. He hadn't caught up with them yet, but he would soon.

Kagome grimaced. She knew what was coming.

Completely oblivious to what was about to happen, her father and the younger Kagome kept running for their lives.

Just as she was expecting, Naraku appeared behind them.

"You thought you could escape me, didn't you?" he asked evilly as he caught up with them. "Hand over the jewel and I'll make your death quick."

Kagome's father, knowing they wouldn't be able to outrun him, turned around and pushed Kagome behind him. "You're not laying a hand on the jewel, Naraku."

Naraku laughed. "I hope you're ready to die." Then he pulled a sword and lunged.

Kagome's father was quick to push Kagome back farther to block Naraku's attack.

It was a quick fight.

Her father's strength had weakened from how much he'd been suppressing his aura during their forty years of being in hiding. He hadn't stood a chance against Naraku.

Naraku's own aura was suppressed, obviously to hide his youkai power, but it had no effect on his fighting.

Just like that, Kagome's father was dead.

The younger Kagome screamed before falling to her knees beside her father's limp body. Tears began falling down her cheeks as she watched the blood rushing to the ground from where Naraku had slit his throat.

"No!" she screamed.

Then she was being thrown roughly to the ground. The breath was knocked from her lungs to the point that she was rendered motionless for a moment. When she could finally move, she sat up to see Naraku smirking down at her.

The jewel was in his hand, held up for her to see.

"Give it back!" she demanded.

Naraku laughed. "The jewel is mine. Now it's time for you to die."

Kagome's eyes widened in fear as she looked up at Naraku.

"Mother," she murmured under her breath. "Help me...please."

Naraku lifted his sword to strike her; before he could, a barrier appeared around Kagome, successfully deflecting Naraku's swing.

Kagome felt the warmth of her mother stirring in her soul. The warmth spread throughout her body, lifting her up before shooting her through the sky and away from Naraku.

A blast of power shot back at Naraku, knocking him to the ground and stunning him for a moment.

The older Kagome looked up at her younger self, remembering how the presence of her mother had helped her escape and go back into hiding. She'd met Miroku and Sango a year later, and the rest was history.

When her younger self had disappeared into the night, Kagome looked back at Naraku as he pulled himself up from the ground.

He looked right at her, startling Kagome. _Can he see me? I thought this was just a memory._

"Of course this isn't just a memory," Naraku said suddenly. "I'm here in your head with you. This is all my doing. I hope you've enjoyed revisiting these days of sorrow."

Kagome's eyes widened. "How are you here? Are you why I collapsed on the deck?"

Naraku laughed. "Yes," he confirmed, his voice sinister. "Do you want to know why your arrows don't work? Do you want to know what caused the block in your powers?" He grinned. "It was me. When you grabbed me and blasted me with your power back at my castle, I placed a seal on your abilities. Don't you love it?"

"You monster!" she screamed. "Give me my powers back!" Naraku shook his head.

"Oh, no," he replied. "That won't be happening. At least, not until I have achieved my goal. Maybe I'll give your powers back right before I kill you. Then you can at least die a true miko."

Tears pooled in Kagome's eyes. "Well, you've sealed my powers. You've made me relive the two worst days of my life. Now what? Why am I still here? What's your goal?" Naraku chuckled.

"I think I'll keep you in your mind a while longer," he said, ignoring her questions. "I'll kill your sanity slowly, yes? Perhaps if Inuyasha were with you, he'd be able to pull you out. I knew he would leave if I said he was the reason your powers were waning. He was, though, a little bit. But I exploited that. The seal is what destroyed your powers, not him."

Tears began to stream down Kagome's cheeks.

"No," she whispered. "This can't be happening."

"Oh, Kagome," Naraku said menacingly. "But it is. Now I'm coming for you and there will be no escaping me."

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha leapt up onto the roof of the first house he saw. Making sure to keep the hood of his cloak up, he looked down on the few townspeople milling around, keeping his ears alert for any talk of Jinenji.

It was starting to get late; everyone would probably be returning to their homes soon.

Inuyasha frowned as the people began to dwindle. Soon enough, only two men were left. They were talking rather quietly, so Inuyasha dared to jump down from the roof to creep closer to them. When he was in earshot, he listened closely.

"We're running low on the special soil," one of the men said. "We might need to gather some soon."

The other man nodded. Based on his more formal attire, Inuyasha figured he was the headman of the town. "We'll go later tonight. We don't know what time the youkai tends to his garden, but it's never been later than midnight."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. _So they do know about Jinenji...and his garden? But why are they fixated on his garden?_

The two men nodded to each other and agreed to meet back in the center of the village at midnight.

Inuyasha looked up at the sky. Based on the moon, the men would be meeting back in about two hours. That was enough time to go back and warn Jinenji.

Inuyasha ran back to the house to let Jinenji and his mother know what he'd heard.

When he entered the house again, Jinenji and his mother were waiting expectantly.

"The villagers know about you," Inuyasha announced, not beating around the bush.

Jinenji's mother stood up. "We're leaving. Don't argue, Jinenji. It's time to go."

"Wait," Inuyasha said. "They're not after Jinenji. They're after his garden. Well, the soil in his garden." He quickly recounted the conversation he'd overheard.

"The soil in my garden is enchanted," Jinenji explained. "It helps the plants grow. That's probably why they want it."

"That's a good thing," Inuyasha encouraged. "They want to use the soil, not hurt you. You're not in any danger."

Jinenji perked up. "You're right," he agreed. "Ma, we're safe here." His mother still seemed hesitant, but she nodded.

"Fine," she conceded. "We'll stay."

"I think we can take it a step further," Inuyasha said. "I have an idea."

o.O.o

After explaining his plan to Jinenji and his mother, Inuyasha set out to find the garden. He waited until the two men from the village approached. He made sure his hood was covering his ears before he emerged from the trees.

"Hello," he called with a polite bow. "Are you gentlemen from the nearby town?"

The men bowed back. "Yes," one of them replied. "What can we do for you?"

Inuyasha nodded toward the garden. "I've heard this garden has special properties. Is this true?"

The men exchanged a glance. "No," one of them denied. "This is just a normal garden."

Inuyasha nodded again. _So they hide the existence of the special soil from strangers...interesting._

"I have also heard a rumor that there is a youkai that lives nearby," Inuyasha continued. "Is that true as well?

"No," the headman insisted firmly. "There is no youkai. The rumors you have heard are not true." Inuyasha tried to hide his surprise.

"I see," he replied. "That is wonderful news. It appears the village is _safe_."

At Inuyasha's cue word, Jinenji emerged from his hiding place.

"Hello," he said gently. "Please don't fear me. You probably know me as the owner of this garden."

The men looked terrified. They fell to their knees in low bows. "Please don't hurt us," the headman begged. "We're sorry that we've been stealing your soil. We won't do it anymore. Please just don't kill us!"

Jinenji shook his head. "I won't hurt you," he replied sincerely. "I _want_ to share my soil with you. Please don't hesitate to take some whenever you would like. Just don't take too much at one time. I also use it for my own planting."

The men looked up at him in shock. "Why wouldn't you harm us?" the headman asked. "Why would you allow us to still take your soil?"

Jinenji smiled. "You protected the properties of my soil as well as my existence. That is reason enough."

The men looked at Inuyasha before looking back at Jinenji and standing up. "You have exposed yourself to this stranger. We don't know him."

Inuyasha flipped his hood down. "I'm a youkai, too. No worries."

The men seemed surprised at the presence of a second youkai, but they took it in stride.

"We didn't know we had two youkai nearby," the headman said. Inuyasha shook his head.

"I don't live here," he explained. "I'm just visiting."

The men nodded. "Well, so long as you don't harm any of our people, we welcome you."

The headman looked at Jinenji. "The whole town knows about the soil. We will keep your secret and tell our townspeople that you mean us no harm. You are welcome in the village."

Jinenji bowed at them. "Thank you."

Inuyasha observed the unprecedented interaction.

_Is this how the world could be someday?_ he wondered. _Peace between humans and youkai...could it be possible? Is this what the prophecy will lead to?_

The townsmen gathered their soil before bidding goodbye to Inuyasha and Jinenji.

When they were gone, the two hanyo returned to Jinenji's house.

"Ma!" Jinenji called happily. "You'll never guess what happened!"

Jinenji's mother began to cry as her son explained what happened.

"Why are you crying, Ma?" Jinenji asked, concerned. "This is good news."

His mother waved off his concern. "These are happy tears, my boy. I'm happy we can stay." She smiled brightly at Inuyasha. "Thank you. This happened because of you."

Inuyasha smiled back at her. "I'm happy to help. I have to leave now, though."

"Where will you go?" Jinenji asked. "You could stay here if you want. You could make this place your home, too."

Inuyasha smiled. "Thank you, but I already have a home," he replied. "I have to get back to her now."

He soon bid Jinenji and his mother goodbye. Jinenji gave him a bag of assorted herbs before he left.

"I have a little notebook," Jinenji began, "with descriptions of what the herbs are and what they do. You can have it so you know how to use each one." He put the book in the back before handing it to Inuyasha.

"Thank you," Inuyasha said. "I appreciate it."

"Thank _you_ ," Jinenji replied. "You've helped us immensely. Please come visit again. You can bring the woman that is your home with you next time if you want."

Inuyasha nodded. "I will. Take care."

"Take care," Jinenji and his mother echoed as Inuyasha left the house.

As Inuyasha set on his way, he smiled to himself. _That didn't go as expected,_ Inuyasha thought. _I can't wait to tell Kagome about it when I get back to her._

Kagome.

How was he going to find her? He'd only been gone for a little over a week. He hadn't expected to return to her so soon, so he had absolutely no clue where the ship could be by now. Not to mention he had a human night in a few days, so that would inevitably slow him down even more.

He huffed as he walked along.

_I have to find her,_ he resolved. _I won't give up._

O.o.O.o.O

Miroku entered the room to find Kagome in the same spot on her bed with Sango sitting next to her.

"Hey," he greeted quietly. "How is she?"

Sango sighed. "The same. No changes."

Miroku observed Kagome. Her cheeks were sunken and her skin was ghostly pale. Sango had been giving her water often, but there was only so much that could do.

"We might have to dock for a while," he suggested hesitantly as he came to sit at the foot of the bed. "She looks too sick to continue traveling like this." Sango smoothed Kagome's hair back.

"You're right," she admitted. "Maybe staying in one spot on land would be good for her."

Miroku nodded. "I'll go talk to the helmsman. We'll make a plan." He stood up, placed a quick kiss on Sango's head, and headed up to the dock to find the helmsman.

When he was gone, Sango grabbed the comb and began her daily comb-through of Kagome's hair.

"You'll be okay," Sango murmured as she ran the comb through Kagome's locks.

Kagome slumbered on.

o.O.o

The helmsman and Miroku made a solid plan on where to dock, so Sango was quick to begin packing up some things they might need.

She grabbed some clothing, Kagome's comb, and a few other things. To her surprise, she found a red obi sticking out from under the bed. She frowned and picked it up, knowing Kagome didn't own anything that even _had_ an obi on it.

As Sango examined it, she recognized it as the obi that was on Inuyasha's red outfit he wore during the battle with Naraku. She immediately put it in the bag. If Kagome woke up in the town, maybe that would comfort her.

Once she was done packing the bag, she lay down next to Kagome in her bed. The pillow held a distinctly male scent of forest and strength, and she briefly wondered if Kagome would be okay with her laying in Inuyasha's spot on the bed.

Sango sighed and decided to just stay on the bed. Right now, Kagome needed Sango just like Sango needed Kagome.

They were set to reach the town the next day, so Shippo and Kirara piled in the bed with Sango and Kagome and spent one last night sleeping on the ship.

Miroku entered the room the next morning and announced that they had docked and it was time to leave.

"What about her aura?" Sango asked as Miroku picked Kagome up bridal style. "If there's someone in the town with spiritual powers, they'll pick up that she's youkai."

Miroku adjusted Kagome to rest comfortably in his arms. "Ever since she collapsed," he began, "she hasn't had an aura. It's odd, but...I guess right now it's lucky."

Sango furrowed her brows, pondering what could possibly be happening to the captain.

"I suppose all we can do now," she began, "is find an inn and wait to see if she starts to recover."

"I can try to find some sutras to help," Miroku suggested. "I didn't have many left on the ship, and I'm sure it'll be easy to find some. Kirara and Shippo, make sure you conceal your auras."

Sango nodded before they departed from the ship. The crew would be staying to make sure the ship remained guarded, while Shippo and Kirara left with Sango, Miroku, and Kagome.

They found a small inn and lay Kagome in one of the two beds in their room. During the entire trip, she hadn't stirred once. Miroku and Sango exchanged a worried glance before Miroku left to find some sutras to hopefully help Kagome.

Shippo and Kirara curled up in one of the beds with Kagome while Sango sat down on the other one. She pulled Kagome's comb out of her bag to work out the knots in her hair, but Shippo quickly reached for it.

"Can I comb her hair?" he asked meekly. Sango smiled and nodded before handing the comb to him. The little kitsune took great care in combing through Kagome's long locks, and Sango didn't miss how his eyes began to water.

"She'll be okay," Sango comforted as she came to sit on the other side of Kagome. She tried to smile encouragingly at Shippo, and she hoped it looked a lot less forced than it felt.

_Kagome...please wake up._

To be continued...


	15. Bound by Destiny

**Chapter 15: Bound by Destiny**

Naraku sat back in his chair and frowned.

He didn't have what he needed yet.

The red-eyed man wondered if destroying Kagome's mind was a good idea after all. She was so easy to break, just like her mother.

Perhaps that was the problem. Was she _too_ much like her mother? Naraku had figured that would be a good thing for the plans he had, but was it really?

He rose from his chair in his new castle and frowned. The jewel suddenly felt heavy from its safe place tucked in his shirt. The wish he'd made ten years ago hadn't worked, so now he was having to resort to this. It had taken all that time to build up his strength and actually find Kikyo's daughter to put his plan into motion, but it hadn't worked when he'd attempted it with Kanna's mirror, nor had it worked when Naraku himself attempted it back at his old castle.

Naraku's efforts at trying to strengthen himself with other youkai didn't seem to be helping either.

He'd sent Kagura and Kanna on several secret missions to seek out strong enough youkai to add to his strength, but they'd all died too easily.

_If only I could find that Urasue,_ he mused. _She's the only one capable, given that my attempts at the spell have failed thus far._

There was something else bothering him, though.

He had no idea where Inuyasha was.

Naraku was able to keep track of Kagome from his place in her mind, but Inuyasha had disappeared. Even Kanna's mirror was of no use in finding him.

"I can't let him find her," Naraku said out loud. "If they are reunited, there is no way my plan can come into fruition. Their pathetic feelings will cancel out the evil tainting I have placed in Kagome."

He would know when Kagome and Inuyasha were reunited; Kagome would most definitely awake from her comatose state. If that were to happen before Naraku was able to find the witch, Naraku most likely wouldn't be able to carry out his ultimate plan.

"Kanna," he called. He knew she couldn't be far. When the ghost-like reincarnation entered the room, he turned to face her. "Try to find Urasue in the mirror."

Kanna nodded and held it up. After a moment of nothing happening, Naraku frowned.

"The witch must have some sort of protective spell over her," he realized. "That unbearable woman is making my plans more difficult."

He focused back on Kanna. "Take Kagura and try to find her," he ordered. "Scope out any leads you might find. Just find her and bring her to me. Keep an ear out for any rumors about Inuyasha's whereabouts as well. I'll keep an eye on Kagome."

Kanna nodded and left the room.

Naraku walked back over to his chair and sat down.

_I do wonder if allowing them to find each other could actually be good,_ he pondered. _The despair they'll feel at seeing each other die when I reach them might even enhance the darkness of the jewel._

Naraku laughed evilly. Bringing Kagome and Inuyasha back to each other might even work in his favor. A plan began to form in his mind, easing his concern about them.

_Now I can focus more on finding Urasue, whom I_ will _find no matter what, it won't matter if Kagome wakes up from my seal. The witch's spells will be too powerful for even her to break._

He leaned back in his chair, slightly less concerned about the possibility of Inuyasha and Kagome being reunited before Kanna and Kagura could find Urasue.

It was all a dreadful pain.

_I will go ahead and make some new reincarnations,_ he decided. _They should be of aid; knowing Kagura, she'll probably find a way to make their task fail miserably._

Naraku couldn't help but roll his eyes.

_When I have achieved my goal,_ he thought to himself, _all of this will have been worth it._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome drifted back to consciousness slowly, a groan and deep stretch soon following her opening eyes. She looked around her surroundings to find she was in her bed on the ship.

Her eyes widened. She would have been inclined to believe she was back had it not been for the start of her last memory.

"I'm not getting out of this bed," she resolved. "I can't be haunted by stuff if I don't go to it."

_It's probably not that simple,_ she chided herself. _Whatever Naraku wants to haunt you with will find you eventually._

The captain sighed. "What kind of hell is he bringing to me next?"

A knock came at the door, startling Kagome.

"Kagome?"

Kagome's heart stopped. Inuyasha's voice was coming from the other side of the door.

_It's not really him, it's not really him, it's not really him…_

"Go away," she called back, her heart clenching.

"Kagome, _please_ ," he begged through the door. "We've been apart for too long...I miss you."

Soul aching, Kagome sat up.

Before she could answer, the door slowly opened to reveal a hesitant Inuyasha.

Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes as she took in the familiar silver hair and golden eyes. A small smile was on his face, one so sincere that it had Kagome wondering if she really had woken up.

_Could it be true? Did Inuyasha come back and wake me up?_

A sob came from her mouth as she held her arms out for him.

Inuyasha wasted no time in running to her. His scent surrounded her as he held her close to his chest.

"I'm sorry," he murmured against her hair. "I'll never leave you again."

Kagome held him tight and buried her face in his neck. "It's okay," she replied softly. "I'm so glad you're back."

They sat in silence for a few moments, just holding each other.

_This can't be fake,_ she realized. _He's so warm...Inuyasha is back. He woke me up._

Kagome pulled back and cupped his cheeks in her hands. "Naraku is coming for me. We need to test my powers again and make sure we're ready."

Inuyasha smiled at her. "Oh, Kagome. Love really has made you stupid. Stupid and _naive_."

Kagome's eyes widened. "What?"

Silver hair began to darken at the roots before slowly changing to black. For a moment, Kagome almost thought he was turning human until his eyes began to bleed red.

"What-"

Inuyasha began to shift and change until he was a completely different person.

Naraku.

Kagome pulled away and jumped up out of the bed.

" _Stop!"_ she screamed.

It was all too much. She was slipping, going crazy.

She thought she'd be able to make it through this, but now she was doubting everything.

Would the hell inside her head really kill her?

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha began to wander south. He was in the northern part of Japan, so it only made sense to work his way down the country. Maybe he could hide his ears and hair enough to ask around about Captain Higurashi in a town. Rumors of pirates were common in large hubs of people.

Normally when he was traveling, Inuyasha didn't need to take breaks, but this time he did.

There was something so exhausting about all of this.

Inuyasha didn't have time to waste, but he physically _needed_ to stop for at least a few minutes every several hours.

It was getting ridiculous.

That night, he settled down to sleep rather than walk through the whole night like he'd been planning to.

He was oddly fatigued. As soon as his head hit his makeshift pillow, he was asleep.

"Inuyasha."

Ears flicking at the sound of his name, the hanyo rolled over and slept on.

"Inuyasha, wake up."

Golden eyes opening, Inuyasha begrudgingly looked up to find the source of the voice jolting him from his slumber.

"Inuyasha, are you awake?"

A gasp tore from Inuyasha's mouth as he sat up. There was a woman sitting in front of him, with long black hair and bright blue eyes.

"Kagome?" he asked incredulously.

She smiled. "Not quite." Inuyasha rubbed his eyes and focused on the woman. Her hair was long like Kagome's, but it was much neater and straighter. Her face was kind, but more serious. She was much taller, too, and was dressed in traditional miko garb.

"Do I know you?" Inuyasha asked. "You look like…"

"Kagome?" the woman finished. "I'm her mother."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. " _You're_ Kikyo? How are you here?"

Kikyo knelt on the ground across from him. "My spirit has been granted this short time with you in your dreams. I take it you noticed how tired I made you. I needed to make sure you slept tonight so I could visit you with this warning. The prophecy unravels more every day. You must find Kagome as soon as possible."

"I'm trying," he insisted. "It's kinda hard when I have no possible way of finding her."

Kikyo frowned. "Have you not realized just how deep your bond with her runs?" she asked. "You two are connected by the prophecy as well as the jewel itself. More than that, you are connected by _destiny_. You must have realized that by now."

Inuyasha froze. "So…" he began hopefully, "are you saying that I can somehow find her through that bond?"

Kikyo smiled and nodded.

Inuyasha jumped up from where he'd been sitting. "Okay, how?" he asked. "What do I need to do?"

Kikyo rose as well. "That is something you must figure out yourself."

The hanyo groaned. "Come on," he insisted. "Why can't you just tell me instead of being all cryptic? I swear, that must be where Kagome got it from. You should've seen her when she first brought me onto the ship."

Kikyo laughed. "You speak of her so affectionately," she cooed. "It reminds me of my husband and me. I didn't expect you and my daughter to fall in love, but it is certainly a good match. It was one molded by destiny." Inuyasha blushed.

"Keh," he scoffed softly. "I just need to find her. I...I'm sorry I left."

Kikyo shook her head. "You don't need to apologize," she assured him. "I am uncertain of why, but every choice you two make is a part of your destiny."

Inuyasha bristled. "I need to get back to her. We need to put a stop to all of this. I met another hanyo, and he showed me that peace between humans and youkai is possible. That's what I want. I want the youkai community to flourish again." Kikyo smiled.

"As do I," she replied. "I'm very pleased with how you two have handled the prophecy." Inuyasha grimaced. "Even though I left?"

Kikyo nodded. " _Especially_ because you left," she replied. "If you hadn't left, you would not have met Jinenji. You would not have found your new hope for peace."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "You're right," he realized. "I'm worried about Kagome, though. I hope she's alright." Kikyo seemed to grow sad.

"You must find her quickly," she advised. "Use your bond. I believe in you. I believe in _both_ of you."

Resolve renewed, Inuyasha nodded. "Okay," he replied. He bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your wisdom...and I'm glad I was able to meet you."

Kikyo smiled. "I could not have wished for a better match for my daughter," she said sincerely. "Perhaps it doesn't mean much coming from a dead woman, but I grant you my blessing." Inuyasha blushed.

"Um, thank you." He was immensely grateful, but still felt a bit awkward. He smiled nonetheless.

"I must go," Kikyo said. "You have my protection from Naraku. There is no way he will be able to find you. Find Kagome. You can do it."

"Wait!" Inuyasha said quickly. "Do you know what Naraku is planning?" Kikyo shook her head.

"No," she replied sadly. "But no matter what it is, I know you can defeat him."

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha began, "about what he did to you."

Kikyo sighed and smiled sadly. "Destiny is as destiny does. I accepted my fate long ago. I must go now. Good luck."

With that, she slowly disappeared until Inuyasha could no longer see her or feel her aura.

"Wow," he breathed out loud. "I can't believe that just happened…"

He pondered what she said about using his bond with Kagome to find the captain.

_How can I possibly do that, though?_ he wondered. _I can't just poof into her mind._

He thought for a moment.

Then it hit him.

_The jewel!_ he realized. _That's what bonds us physically! She still has a shard, so I bet I can reach her through it. Hopefully it works with just one of us having a shard._

His eyes shot open as he woke up from the dream, his heart pounding and palms sweating.

He sent up a quick prayer of thanks to Kikyo before sitting on the ground. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the jewel and Kagome…

After a few moments, he was whisked away into his mind.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome ran out of her quarters and dove into the ocean, unable to come up with any other ideas to escape Naraku's presence on the ship.

She transformed into her ningyo form before swimming away as quickly as possible.

Suddenly, something prickled in her mind. It surprised her so much that she froze in the water. Breaching the surface to find the source, she looked around her in the water.

A small island appeared, causing Kagome to frown. _That wasn't there a moment ago,_ she mused. _It's probably another trap from Naraku._

She was inclined to believe that, but there was something so _pure_ about the way the island called to her.

Kagome dove back into the water and swam toward the small piece of land. When she reached the shore, she transformed back into her human form, ignoring her soaked clothing, and walked onto the sandy beach.

"Hello?" she called. "Is someone here?"

"Kagome!" a voice called back.

The captain turned and saw Inuyasha running toward her. Her eyes widened, surprised that Naraku would use the same trick on her twice.

She wouldn't make the mistake of believing him again. When Inuyasha was only about ten feet away, she stepped back.

"Stop!" she commanded. "Don't get any closer, Naraku."

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks, a look of disbelief coming to his face.

"Kagome, it's me," he insisted. "I'm here in your mind."

Kagome shook her head. "You can't fool me with this trick twice. I won't let you."

Inuyasha looked at her pleadingly. " _Please_ , Kagome," he begged. "It's me. You _have_ to believe me."

Kagome shook her head fiercely, not allowing herself to be tricked again.

Inuyasha was silent for a moment until he brightened.

" _By the light of the moon we sing,_

_Our eyes dark but our quiet voices ring._

_I hold you close and you do the same._

_Your voice is soft as you whisper my name._

_The stars shine brightly above us._

_Beckoning us quietly, so hush._

_I'll be here in the morning,_

_Holding you close in the warming_

_Embrace of my arms._

_For I am yours,_

_And you are mind."_

Kagome's eyes widened as he sang the youkai lullaby.

There was no possible way Naraku could have known about that.

"Inuyasha," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. "It's really you?"

The hanyo smiled. "It's me."

A quiet sob bursting from her mouth, she closed the distance between them and threw herself into his arms.

He held her tightly and buried his face in her hair, his steady breathing warming her neck.

Kagome wrapped her arms around his torso and held him closer than she ever had before, tears falling down her cheeks.

"I missed you so much," Inuyasha murmured. "I'm sorry I left."

Kagome shook her head against his chest, not wanting to talk until she'd grounded herself completely in his touch.

She pulled back and looked up at him, the tears streaming steadily from her eyes.

It only took a moment for Inuyasha to lean down and kiss her.

He kissed her fiercely, with a desperation similar to their first kiss on his first human night on the ship.

She kissed him just as intensely back, trying to reacquaint herself with the feel of his lips, the taste of him, the warmth he caused to rise in her body.

He moved his hands to bury in her hair to gently tilt her head for a deeper kiss. Kagome's heart lit on fire by the intensity, the heat, the burning passion. She molded herself against his body, admiring the way they fit against each other like a perfect puzzle, refamiliarizing herself with the planes of his chest and firm muscles of his stomach as they tensed and relaxed against her.

Inuyasha's claws worked through her hair, the soft scratch against her skin assuring her that, yes, he was there, and yes, this was real.

It was overwhelming and passionate and so _enthralling_. The ache from his absence began to lessen slightly as he tasted her again and again, his mouth open wide against hers.

When they finally pulled away, Kagome took a moment to catch her breath before wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him.

"I love you," she murmured. "I missed you so much, every day."

Inuyasha's arms moved up to her back, his embrace keeping her tight against him.

"I love you, too," he murmured back. "But where are we right now?"

Kagome loosened her hold around his neck so she could look up at him.

"We're in my mind," she explained. "Naraku placed a seal on me back at his castle. What I felt for you wasn't what was causing the block in my power."

Inuyasha nodded. "That's what Sesshomaru said," he replied. "He said there was most likely something else at play here. Now it all makes sense."

Kagome wiped her cheeks. "How did you get here? Did Sesshomaru find a way?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "Your mother did." Kagome's eyes widened.

"My mother?" she repeated. "How?" Inuyasha smiled.

"She came to me in a dream," he explained. "She told me our bond through the jewel was strong and that I could reach you through it since you have a jewel shard."

Kagome nodded happily. "Yes! It should still be in my pocket. That makes sense...it explains why Naraku hasn't appeared on this island. It must be too pure for him. Do you think you can find me through the jewel?"

Inuyasha winced. "I hope. I'm not entirely sure how I'll do it, but I'll find a way." He smiled. "You'll never believe what happened, though. When I saw Sesshomaru, he sent me on a task. I found another _hanyo_." Kagome gasped.

"Really? What happened?"

Inuyasha motioned for her to sit in the sand with him as he began to tell her about what happened.

"Wow, Inuyasha," she cooed. "That's amazing. I can't wait to meet Jinenji." Inuyasha smiled.

"You'll like him," he replied. "And honestly, this could be the first step to bringing peace between humans and youkai. Youkai stopped hunting humans hundreds of years ago. Naraku reignited a fear by starting the war. Youkai have no interest in killing or harming humans anymore."

Kagome frowned before leaning against Inuyasha. He wrapped his arm around her and placed a quick kiss on her head.

"I'm glad to hear all that," she murmured. "Good things came from pain. That makes it worth it."

She sighed. "I'll think this island will disappear once you leave," Kagome admitted. Inuyasha tightened his arm around her.

"Yeah," he agreed woefully. "You're probably right. But, Kagome, I swear I'll find you as soon as I can. Do you know where you are?"

Kagome shook her head. "I collapsed on the deck shortly after you left. I'm not sure how far the ship would have gotten in that time or if we're even still on it."

Inuyasha frowned. "Do you think they took you off the ship?" Kagome shrugged.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe? When someone gets sick with something I can't heal, we tend to dock. They usually recover better on land, but I don't know if they would have done that with me." Inuyasha nodded, uncertain of what to make of that information.

Kagome sighed against his chest. "Can you stay a little longer? I'm not ready for you to leave yet…"

Inuyasha lay down on the sand, pulling Kagome down next to him. He wrapped his other arm around her and held her close to him.

For a few moments at least, they found a semblance of peace.

O.o.O.o.O

Miroku gasped and sat up.

Sango stirred in the bed next to him. "What's wrong?" she asked groggily. The monk was too distracted to answer her.

He threw off the covers and jumped out of the bed to hurry to Kagome's side.

"Her aura is starting to return," he announced, his excited voice rousing Shippo and Kirara. "I think the seal is weakening."

Sango sat up and gaped at him. "Really? Why?"

Miroku opened his mouth to answer when a shining light came from Kagome's pocket. "The jewel shard is glowing. Something must be happening."

"Do you think it's a good thing?" Shippo asked, his voice thick with sleep but his eyes wide awake.

Miroku nodded. "Her aura isn't being suppressed like it was. I think it's a really good thing."

Shippo smiled and hopped up and down on the bed excitedly. "Kagome's getting better!" he shouted.

"Shh, Shippo," Sango whispered. She couldn't help the smile on her face, though. "It's the middle of the night. But...I'm excited, too."

Miroku breathed a deep sigh. "It's not much, but it's something. I'll have to put up a small barrier around her to hide the aura. It'll be small enough that it won't be detectable by anyone with spiritual powers, but it'll still be strong enough to keep her safe."

Kagome took a deep breath in her sleep, a small sigh escaping her.

"She sounds...peaceful," Sango said in awe. "I wonder what's going on inside her mind."

Miroku looked at Kagome again before sitting down at the foot of her bed.

"I don't know, but I think this is a good sign."

Sango and Shippo nodded their agreement.

_Now if only she could wake up._

O.o.O.o.O

When Inuyasha pulled himself from Kagome's mind, the ache he'd felt without her immediately returned, but it wasn't as unbearable this time.

_Now I just need to find her._

Kagome said it might be possible that they docked the ship, so he wondered if he should head to the coast.

If he went to the coast, he could discreetly check out each marina and look for the ship. It was the only real plan he could think of, so he decided to just go with it.

The new moon was coming the following night, so Inuyasha knew that would slow him down by at least twelve hours, possibly more depending on dusk and dawn. He could still run pretty fast for a human, but it was nowhere near his hanyo speed.

_Might as well start moving now while I can._ Looking up at the moon's position in the sky, Inuyasha figured out the direction in which he needed to move to get to the coast.

He took off running, determined to reach the coast as quickly as possible. It wouldn't be too long of a run. What would take the most time was moving along the coast and checking each marina. He had no idea how long it would take.

And if they were still sailing...well, he couldn't think about it. For now, he figured his best bet was just checking the coast.

As he ran, he tried to reach through the jewel's bond to see if he could determine Kagome's location. There was something there, like a small thread, but he couldn't quite grasp it. He huffed, frustrated.

_We made a lot of progress tonight,_ he reminded himself. _That's what matters. I'll figure out the rest as I go along._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagura groaned loudly as they once again failed to track down Urasue.

Every lead they'd managed to find had been totally useless.

"Can't you use your stupid mirror to find her?" she asked Kanna. "That thing can see everything else." _Well, except Inuyasha and Urasue apparently._

Kanna didn't answer her question, which didn't really surprise Kagura. Kanna wasn't too bad; she was quiet, but at least that meant she wasn't annoying.

"Naraku is making more," Kanna said in her quiet voice. Kagura frowned at her.

"More of what?" she prodded.

Kanna raised her mirror to allow Kagura to peer into it. "Reincarnations."

She saw Naraku meditating before something began to quite literally try to tear itself out of his back.

"Ew!" Kagura shouted. "I don't want to see that. It reminds me of when we were created. How many more is he making?"

Kanna lowered the mirror. "I do not know. He did not grant me that information." Kagura rolled her eyes.

"Stupid Naraku," Kagura scoffed. "Sending us on stupid errands and giving us barely any information. If he didn't have my heart, I would…" She didn't bother finishing that sentence.

All she could hope for was his eventual destruction.

"Kanna," she began, "don't you want to be free of Naraku?"

The ghost-like girl didn't answer her. Naraku always said that he prided himself on Kanna because she lacked all emotion, but sometimes Kagura wondered if that was completely true.

"Anyway," Kagura finally said, changing the topic, "we're obviously not gonna find Urasue here. I wish I knew what Naraku is planning. He never tells me anything."

"He wants Kagome's soul," Kanna droned. "He is planning something...deadly."

Kagura raised an eyebrow. "Now you're talking? Spill what you know."

Kanna closed her eyes. "I know of his desire for Kagome's soul. He wants it for himself because the jewel never granted him his wish. His wish was tainted with regret and hatred. All he has left is using Kagome's soul and getting the aid of Urasue."

Kagura frowned. "Okay...so why does he want Kagome's soul? What's he planning to do with it?" Kanna slipped back into silence, completely ignoring the question.

Huffing, Kagura rolled her eyes. "Sure, choose now to just stop talking to me. Naraku is right. You _are_ emotionless!"

Suddenly, Kanna turned to look into Kagura's eyes. Kagura froze, surprised by the underlying expression in Kanna's normally lifeless eyes.

"If you know too much," Kanna began, "Naraku will kill you."

_She's protecting me?_ Kagura realized. _But...why? I didn't think she would really take this sister thing seriously..._

"Okay," Kagura finally conceded. "Um, I guess we should just keep looking for Urasue."

Kanna didn't respond or react; she just began walking.

Kagura followed her, still mystified from the odd interaction.

But honestly? It was nice to have someone actually care about her.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha reached the coast in a few hours. Jinenji's home was quite far inland, but Inuyasha's speed and determination got him to the coast quickly.

He didn't see the ship at the first marina or the second. He'd had to stop before nightfall to find some cover for his human night, so he found a lush forest before jumping into the tallest tree he could find.

His transformation into a human was uncomfortable like usual, but he was alright.

Inuyasha just sat in the tree for most of the night, thinking about everything that had happened up to that point. He couldn't wait to get back to the ship, be with Kagome, and destroy Naraku.

Blowing black bangs out of his eyes, Inuyasha sighed and looked up at the moonless sky.

_The only good thing about having my human night during the new moon is that at least no one will be able to find me in this darkness._

He spoke too soon.

Booming noises soon disrupted the quiet of the night. Inuyasha sat straight up and climbed a few more branches up before peering down at the ground to find the source.

The ground practically shook beneath him.

_Maybe it's an earthquake?_ he pondered. _But it sounds like footsteps stomping through the forest. If they_ are _footprints, something's coming. Something_ big _._

Inuyasha hoped his perch in the tree and lack of a youkai aura was enough to keep him concealed. It had to be a youkai. There was no way a human could make such a racket by walking. Inuyasha cursed under his breath. If he'd been hanyo, he would have been able to sense if it really was a youkai aura.

But youkai weren't careless enough to walk around making that much noise. This was either a rogue youkai or some other kind of weird phenomenon. _But what?_

The footsteps grew closer, so Inuyasha pressed himself against the trunk, peering at the ground in absolute silence as he waited to see the source of the noise.

Soon enough, a massive purple youkai with red eyes, white hair, and horns appeared in Inuyasha's line of sight. It made its way through the forest until it reached Inuyasha's tree.

Inuyasha watched the youkai, waiting for it to continue, when it suddenly looked up into the trees.

Right at Inuyasha.

"How interesting," the youkai said. "Inuyasha, you're not in the form I was expecting, now are you?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he stared down at the youkai.

"How do you know who I am?" Inuyasha demanded.

_Of all times to be ambushed,_ he complained silently. _Dawn will be here soon. Why couldn't this youkai have waited until then?_

The youkai suddenly laughed. "I do apologize for my timing," he taunted. "I would be quite interested in seeing your youkai form, but I have a job to do and I must do it swiftly."

_How did he know that's what I was thinking…?_

"Ah," the youkai, "how about I explain? I am Goshinki, an ogre youkai with mind-reading abilities. It's a pleasure to meet you and speak with you before I introduce you to your timely death."

"Why are you after me?" Inuyasha asked. "It's against youkai law to kill other youkai."

Goshinki laughed again. "I don't abide by youkai laws. My lord is not the same as yours."

Inuyasha frowned. _What could he possibly mean?_

"I'll tell you if you come down here," Goshinki called up. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, knowing the mind-reading thing was going to get real old real fast.

He carefully climbed down the tree, a little less nimble as a human, but managed to get down safely.

"Alright, now tell me," Inuyasha ordered. "Who's your master and why do you wanna kill me?"

Goshinki stretched his neck and cracked his knuckles, obviously preparing himself for a fight.

"Let's play a guessing game instead," Goshinki suggested. "For every hit you land on me, I'll tell you something you want to know."

Inuyasha growled. "Fine," he spat. "I just hope you're ready to talk and then _die_."

He lunged, which in retrospect probably wasn't the best idea.

Goshinki pushed him back with an open palm. Inuyasha barely managed to land on his feet after being pushed back a solid twenty feet.

He took a deep breath and charged Goshinki again, this time trying to fake him out with a blow to his legs. Before Inuyasha could even make a fist, Goshinki was blocking him.

"I already told you I can read minds," Goshinki reminded with a smile. "Unfortunately for you, the game is rigged." He pretended to think for a moment. "I suppose since you'll die anyway, I'll tell you what you want to know. I am a reincarnation of Naraku. Kagura and Kanna are my sisters."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, but he knew he shouldn't be surprised. It seemed like Naraku liked to have others do his dirty work rather than sully his own hands.

"A clever observation," Goshinki mused. "I'm inclined to agree with you." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"How did you find me?" Inuyasha demanded. "I should have been protected from Naraku seeing my whereabouts."

Goshinki prepared to charge again. "I suppose you are referring to my sister's mirror. I just hunted out your thoughts. _That_ is how I found you. Naraku will be most pleased with me."

Goshinki charged him again, continuously landing blows on him. Inuyasha felt a crack in his chest and vaguely realized one of his ribs had probably cracked.

He couldn't focus on it now. It seemed like this was about to be a fight to the death. If he could just hold Goshinki off for a few more moments until the sun rose…

"I should kill you quickly," Goshinki said. "You'll be a hanyo again soon."

_Don't think,_ Inuyasha thought to himself. _Instincts only._

He didn't dodge when Goshinki hit him again. He closed his eyes and allowed the blow to knock back much farther than before. It gave him a moment of rest. Goshinki was big, but he wasn't fast.

Inuyasha ran.

Goshinki immediately began to run after him. "Get back here!" he shouted.

Inuyasha didn't stop; he ran until the first rays of the morning sun began to shine in the sky.

Pulses of power rushed through him as his hanyo power returned to him. Silver hair swished over his shoulder; golden eyes glared in the early morning light. Only then did he stop running.

Inuyasha smirked and turned to look at Goshinki.

"You ready to fight for real now?" he asked. Goshinki frowned.

"Perhaps you could win," he began, "if you had the power of surprise on your side. Sadly, you don't."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Seems like you've forgotten a little something called canine instincts."

Before Goshinki could move, Inuyasha drew the Tessaiga and managed to strike him deeply on the arm.

"You can't read my mind," Inuyasha began, "when it's my _body_ making the decisions."

Goshinki's arm began to bleed heavily as he cocky demeanor finally disappeared.

"I'll kill you even slower now," he growled. "I will show you no mercy."

Inuyasha smirked. "Same."

Allowing his mind to clear and his body to take over, Inuyasha struck Goshinki with several quick swipes of the Tessaiga. Goshinki roared as the attacks sliced him.

Inuyasha managed to fully cut off one of his arms while the other was barely attached. Goshinki didn't move out of the way when Inuyasha lunged a final time; he easily caught the sword between his jaws and began to bite down on it.

"Let go!" Inuyasha yelled as he yanked the Tessaiga from his mouth. A few of Goshinki's teeth came out with the sword as well.

With the shape in which Goshinki was, bleeding and nearly dismembered, there was no way he could keep fighting.

Sure enough, Goshinki began his retreat.

"This isn't the last time we'll battle," he threatened. "I'll be back for you."

Inuyasha missed the smirk on Goshinki's face as he retreated, pleased that his mission was successful; he hadn't killed Inuyasha, but he'd left the necessary item.

Then he was gone.

Inuyasha scoffed, mystified by the whole encounter. It wasn't until he went to sheath Tessaiga that he noticed the damage.

There was a crack in the blade.

It wasn't big, but it was still there.

Inuyasha felt the blade, being mindful to be gentle around the cracked area.

But the sword felt fine. It didn't crack anymore and still felt sturdy.

_What should I do?_ he wondered. _Should I go see Totosai?_

He swung the sword a few times to see if it could handle it. It stayed in its transformation and didn't return to the rusty kitana form, so Inuyasha figured it was alright.

_It seems like it's okay for now_ , he decided. _If it gets worse, I'll take it to Totosai._

He went to continue his trek to the next marina, but was distracted by a faint glint in the grass at his feet.

Kneeling down, his eyes widened as he took in the sight before.

Nestled in the dirt was a shard of the Shikon Jewel.

Inuyasha picked it up and examined it. There was blood on it, so he figured Naraku had given it to Goshinki to use for extra strength. It must have fallen out when Inuyasha attacked him with Tessaiga.

Inuyasha scoffed. _Lot of help it gave him, huh?_

Inuyasha stood up and put the shard in his pocket. Maybe he could use it to try and connect to Kagome again. It might even help him track her down.

For the time being, Inuyasha hid himself among the trees again and walked to the next marina. If Kagome wasn't there, he would find a safe hiding spot and try to use the jewel shard to contact her.  
Decision made, he sheathed his sword and began his walk to the next marina, hoping he would find Kagome soon.

O.o.O.o.O

As Kagome continued to be forced to relive her worst enemies, like when she'd been robbed shortly after her dad died or when she'd caught a rare youkai illness and nearly died herself, she was able to find relief in that Naraku seemed to not know that Inuyasha had been able to sneak into her mind. Kagome hoped he would be able to do it again; she clung to that hope and used it to get through each nightmare she was forced to relive.

_I can make it through this. I'm strong enough to survive._

But it was starting to really wear her down.

To be continued...


	16. Lost and Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: aftermath of trauma/traumatic episodes

**Chapter 16: Lost and Found**

Kagome ran in the darkness, trying to escape the gruesome sight she'd just witnessed.

Naraku had switched from showing her memories to showing her the deaths of her crew and close friends. Her loyal crewmen had been shot down on the ship. Miroku and Sango had been slain by a youkai, while Shippo and Kirara had been hunted down and killed to sell off to youkai vendors.

Kagome couldn't close her eyes without reliving their deaths, so she just kept running.

An invisible string suddenly tripped her, and she fell to the ground. When she stood up, two figures appeared.

Her eyes widened when she saw the flash of silver hair.

Naraku was lunging at Inuyasha as the hanyo tried unsuccessfully to fight back.

There was blood gushing from Inuyasha's head and chest, but Naraku looked completely unscathed.

Inuyasha looked like he was about to go down as Naraku raised a sword and aimed at him.

" _Inuyasha!"_

Kagome's screams did nothing to stop the sight in front of her.

Inuyasha looked at her, his defenses going down as he turned his attention from Naraku to Kagome.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Naraku rammed a sword through Inuyasha's stomach and quickly pulled it out, sending a stream of blood shooting from the wound. That appeared to be the last blow needed to take the hanyo down.

Eyes still locked on Kagome, Inuyasha collapsed.

Kagome ran to him and fell to her knees. Blood started to leak from his mouth as her panic set in.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed again. "No!"

He was dead.

She burst into tears, sobs racking her body.

She knew, she _knew_ it wasn't real, but the look on his face...the warmth of his blood…

It felt like she was dying herself, and she started to really question if she was going to make it out of this.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha growled in frustration.

No matter what he did, he couldn't get the jewel to lead him to Kagome.

He tried meditating, focusing on their bond, and even threatening the jewel with his Tessaiga, but nothing was working.

"What's the point of being part of your stupid prophecy," he yelled, "if you can't even help me find the other person needed for it to be carried out!" The jewel, being just a jewel, remained in his hand, unyielding to Inuyasha's threats.

Inuyasha frowned and glared at the jewel. _I must be going crazy…_

It had been so simple to get into Kagome's mind; shouldn't it be just as easy to connect his jewel shard to hers?

He'd been to two more marinas as he made his way down the coast, but he'd found no success. None of the people he'd managed to speak with had heard any rumors about the whereabouts of the apparently missing Captain Higurashi.

Inuyasha had wasted yet another day just trying and failing to get the jewel to work, so now everything was starting to feel hopeless.

He sat down against a trunk of a large tree and looked at the jewel, racking his mind for more ideas on how to get the stupid thing to work.

_I have to use our bond,_ he reminded himself. _What bonds us the most?_

He bit his lip. _Our youkai heritage is probably the biggest, but focusing on that didn't work._

Then he remembered what had gotten Kagome to realize it was him when he found her in her mind.

Inuyasha sat up straight and looked at the jewel. "This better work," he threatened. "If I look like an idiot for nothing, I'm gonna throw you across this forest."

The hanyo took a deep breath and thought about one of the first things that had bonded him with Kagome even before he knew of her youkai heritage.

He began to sing the youkai lullaby, remembering the first time he'd heard it during his first music night on the ship. He remembered the lower tone she'd used on the deck around the crew and her natural tone down in her quarters when they were alone later that night.

Inuyasha remembered falling asleep in her bed and reflected on how embarrassed he'd been. He never expected that sharing a bed and hearing her sing each night would become their norm. He missed it. He _ached_ for it.

As soon as he finished singing, the jewel shard began to emit a small aura.

Inuyasha's eyes opened to see the jewel glowing a light pink.

_I can't believe that worked,_ he thought to himself.

"Alright, jewel," he commanded. "Where is Kagome?" The jewel didn't do anything. It just continued to glow on his palm.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, wondering what else he needed to do to get the jewel to work.

He stood up and began walking back toward the nearest marina he'd seen. The closer he got to the shore, the less the jewel glowed.

Inuyasha paused, examining the jewel. _Why is it losing its glow?_

The hanyo looked out at the marina that was in the near distance and wondered what the jewel was doing. He turned around, wondering if there might be something nearby that was throwing off the jewel's small aura.

When he turned around, the jewel began to glow again. Eyes widening, he turned back toward the coast.

Sure enough, the jewel stopped glowing.

_It must be like a compass,_ Inuyasha realized. The jewel kept its glow when Inuyasha faced the south, so he knew that was where Kagome would be. He thanked his lucky stars that he'd been correct about moving south after leaving Jinenji's house.

He broke into a sprint, finally hopeful about finding Kagome soon.

_I'm coming, Kagome._

O.o.O.o.O

Miroku was milling through the town looking for some dinner for himself and his companions. Kagome's condition hadn't improved since they'd noticed a shift in her aura.

She was very obviously getting weaker by the day as her aura, shallow breathing, and slow heartbeat became the only signs that she was still alive.

_Whatever is happening to her,_ Miroku mused, _is killing her._

The optimism from the change in her aura was quickly fading.

Sighing, Miroku finished paying for the food items when he sensed a very familiar aura approaching.

Throwing the items into his bag, he ran off in the direction of the aura.

The aura grew stronger as he got to the outskirts of the town, solidifying Miroku's certainty.

A cloaked figure appeared in the near distance, running at a nearly inhuman speed.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted.

The hanyo increased his speed, only stopping when he reached the monk.

"Miroku," he greeted. Miroku's eyes were wide.

He wrapped his hanyo friend in a quick hug, which Inuyasha immediately returned.

"Are you guys alright?" Inuyasha asked when they let go.

Miroku nodded and began leading him back toward the town. "We've gotten settled in an inn," he explained as they quickly made their way. "Kagome is still unconscious."

Inuyasha nodded. "I know. I can wake her up."

"How?" Miroku asked incredulously. Inuyasha shook his head.

"It's a long story," he replied. "I'll explain once Kagome wakes up."

They fell into silence as they hurried to the inn.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha didn't feel Kagome's aura until they were running up the stairs to their room.

Her usual bright and powerful aura was now dark and weak. It startled him.

Miroku grabbed the key to the door. "Her aura only recently reappeared," he said, noticing Inuyasha's reaction. "It was completely gone until just a few days ago."

Inuyasha's stomach flipped. _That was probably when I found her in her mind..._

When Miroku got the door unlocked, Inuyasha followed him inside.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo said as he ran to jump into Inuyasha's arms. "You're back!" Inuyasha hugged him quickly.

"Hey, kid," he greeted. He nodded at Sango. "Hey, Sango." Sango nodded back, but it was with much less enthusiasm than Miroku and Shippo.

Inuyasha set Shippo on the floor before walking over to Kagome. His eyes widened as he took in her appearance.

Her skin was pale, a stark contrast to the sunkissed glow she usually had. Her cheeks were sunken, making her look like a corpse rather than a young woman.

Her breathing was shallow and Inuyasha could hear how slowly her heart was beating from where he was standing beside her.

The hanyo sat down on the edge of the bed and took one of her hands in his.

It was freezing, as if Kagome were already dead.

"How long have you guys been in this town?" he asked the others.

"Several days," Miroku replied. "We thought she would be better on land."

Inuyasha nodded.

"What have you been doing?" Sango asked, her tone sharp. "Did you find any leads on Naraku or anything helpful?"

Inuyasha was a bit taken aback by her tone, but he nodded.

He launched into everything he'd been doing since he'd left. He mentioned Jinenji as well as when he connected with Kagome through her mind.

Miroku and Sango's eyes widened when he mentioned the jewel.

He took the shard out of his pocket and showed it to them. "Naraku's reincarnation dropped it when we fought. It helped me find you guys through the jewel shard Kagome has."

They didn't look as pleased as Inuyasha was expecting.

"What?" he asked. "Why do you look like that's a bad thing?"

Sango frowned. "You really think Naraku's reincarnation would just lose a jewel shard? It would be very obvious to a youkai if they lost the power of the jewel."

Inuyasha hesitated. "Yeah...but maybe he was just weak? It wasn't much of a fight." His thoughts drifted to the crack in Tessaiga, but he pushed it from his mind. He wanted to focus on waking Kagome up.

"I can wake her up," Inuyasha repeated from earlier, glancing at Kagome. "But it might take a few minutes."

The others nodded eagerly, waiting for him to do so.

Inuyasha pulled the jewel shard from his pocket and clasped it in one of Kagome's hands before putting his own on it as well. He closed his eyes, wishing from the bottom of his soul that this would work.

His body was suddenly pulled into Kagome's mind, but there was no island this time.

He saw Kagome in a dark room, surrounded by darkness. She was on the floor, body contorted into a tight fetal position.

Inuyasha hurried over and knelt next to her.

"Kagome?" he said, setting a hand on her arm. "Kagome, it's me. It's Inuyasha."

Kagome barely looked at him from the corner of her eye.

"You're dead," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I know it's not you." She tucked her head back into the safety of her arms.

Inuyasha paused, uncertain of what to do.

"Kagome," he repeated, his voice firmer this time. "We have to get out of here."

Kagome ignored him; she just curled up tighter.

_We have to hurry before Naraku appears,_ Inuyasha realized. _We don't have a lot of time._

Before he could figure out another way to get her up, he heard maniacal laughter from above them. Looking up, he saw Naraku grinning evilly down at him.

"Welcome, Inuyasha," he greeted. "I see you've found Kagome in the real world."

Inuyasha glared at him. "What did you do to her? What other hell have you pushed on her?"

Naraku floated down to the ground until he was standing on his feet. "A little of this, a little of that. A few bad memories, a few hallucinations of you either dying or killing her. It's been tough to break her completely, just like it was hard to try and take her soul."

The hanyo looked down at the curled woman next to him.

"What are you trying to do?" he demanded as he turned back to Naraku. "What do you want?"

Naraku hummed. "I want to kill both of you, but I need Kagome more for her soul. I cannot kill her through her mind. Perhaps if I had more time, I could break her eventually but that is not the case. Your pathetic love for each other will do enough damage in the end anyway."

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha growled. "Quit speaking in riddles!"

Naraku laughed. "Let's just say," he began, "that I have some special plans for Kagome. I will be coming for her after I have made the correct preparations. I should be locating the witch soon enough."

Inuyasha frowned. "What witch?"

"Urasue," Naraku replied with an eyeroll. "Such an impudent woman. I've just recently received a decent lead on her location, so I am certain we will find you all soon. Your souls will be absolutely _delicious_. It's Kagome's I need the most, but yours will be a nice extra."

Before Inuyasha could question him further, Naraku began to fade away.

Inuyasha quickly focused his attention on Kagome.

"Kagome?" he said gently. "We really need to get out of here."

Kagome's eyes were wide, an obvious surprised reaction to the exchange she'd just witnessed.

"Inuyasha? Is it really you?"

Inuyasha smiled down at her. "It's me." _She looks so much worse than when I was here a few days ago…_

"Inuyasha," she breathed. "You found me."

Inuyasha reached out to help her sit up. He kissed the top of her head quickly before picking her up and settling her in his arms.

"Let's go," he murmured. He closed his eyes and focused back on the world before he felt himself being pulled out of Kagome's mind for what he hoped would be the last time.

When he opened his eyes again, he was sitting on Kagome's bed with her hand still cupped in his.

She wasn't awake.

Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"Where's Kagome?" Miroku asked. "You were only gone a few minutes. Did you find her?"

"Yes," Inuyasha replied as he reached out to gently tap Kagome's face. "I pulled us out. She should be awake."

"Maybe she needs another minute to recover," Sango suggested. "She's been in there a really long time." Inuyasha nodded.

They waited for an hour until a change finally occurred.

It started slowly, beginning with Kagome's aura growing.

Inuyasha felt it strengthening around them all.

Her fingers began to twitch as she took in a deep breath. Her eyes fluttered for a few seconds before they finally opened.

It took her a moment to focus on them. As soon as she saw everyone surrounding her, tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Thank goodness," she said, her voice weak and nearly inaudible.

Shippo carefully curled up against her. Sango quickly grabbed a cup of water and helped Kagome drink some of it.

When she'd taken a long swig of water, she focused on Inuyasha. She smiled warmly and squeezed his hand.

For a moment, it felt like they were the only two in the room until Miroku broke the silence.

"What happened to you?" Miroku asked. "Inuyasha told us some, but…"

Kagome closed her eyes for a moment. "I...I went through hell. It was horrible."

She shuddered as she recalled the memories she'd been forced to relive and the hallucinations of everyone she loved dying.

"But I'm back," she continued. "I'm okay now."

Inuyasha helped her to sit up before grabbing his bag and pulling out some of the herbs Jinenji had given him. He pulled the little notebook out and looked for one that might help Kagome recover. There was one that was supposed to help with dehydration, so he quickly grabbed that herb.

Miroku brought over a piece of bread; before he could hand it to Kagome, Inuyasha stuffed a few leaves of the herb inside the bread.

"A healing sandwich," the hanyo said as he handed it to Kagome. She smiled and took it, but could only manage to eat a few bites. Based on the wrinkled face she made, Inuyasha figured she'd gotten enough of the herb in those few bites.

"We saw Naraku before we got out," Kagome said after she handed the rest of the bread to Miroku for him to set on the small table in the room. "He mentioned some weird stuff about his plans, but not a whole lot made sense."

"What did he say?" Miroku asked. Kagome looked at Inuyasha, silently asking him to explain.

"Naraku is after Kagome's soul," Inuyasha began, taking over. "He's searching for Urasue. Once he finds her, he's coming for Kagome and me. He's more focused on her, though."

Sango frowned. "Who's Urasue?"

Inuyasha was surprised that Sango didn't know. He figured all taijiya knew about her.

"She's a witch," Inuyasha replied. "You've never heard of her?" Sango shook her head.

"I haven't heard of her either," Miroku added. "I take it you have, Inuyasha." The hanyo nodded.

"Urasue is feared among the youkai community," he explained. "I've heard horror stories about her since I was little. She was born even before my father, and he was old when he died four hundred years ago."

Miroku hummed. "What kind of magic does she have?"

Inuyasha shuddered. "She can control people by their souls. That must be why Naraku needs her. He wants Kagome's soul, and if there's anyone that can help him get it, Urasue would be the one."

Kagome sighed. "I don't know why Naraku is so focused on my soul," she said quietly. "His reincarnations tried to take it from me with Kanna's mirror, and I almost wonder if Naraku attempted it again at his castle."

"But why?" Sango asked. "What could he possibly want with your soul?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe he wants my powers?" She took a deep breath. "I don't even know if I still have my powers. I'm awake, but I don't know if the seal is completely broken yet."

Miroku set a hand on her shoulder. "We can test them when you're feeling better, okay? Based on what Naraku said, it sounds like he hasn't found the witch yet. We have some time."

Kagome nodded. "Okay."

They fell into a heavy silence, the weight of what was to come settling over them.

Kagome gently tugged on Inuyasha's hand.

"I'd like to go for a walk," she requested. "I need to stretch my legs." Inuyasha nodded and helped her stand. It took a moment for her to find her balance, but with Inuyasha's arm around her waist, she was able to move.

She turned to address the others. "We'll be back in a little while."

Miroku and Sango nodded. Shippo hugged her before Inuyasha led her out of the room.

When she grimaced at the sight of the stairs, Inuyasha let go of her waist and leaned down. Kagome got on his back without hesitation.

He felt her nestle her face in his hair as she got comfortable against him.

Inuyasha was careful as they left the inn. It was well into the evening, so he knew the sun would be setting soon, allowing them the cover of nighttime.

He walked to a nearby forest and carefully set Kagome down. She would have collapsed on the ground if Inuyasha hadn't caught her. She winced as he helped her sit down against the trunk of a tree, her head immediately coming to rest against Inuyasha's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and tucked her into his side.

"You saved me," she murmured.

Inuyasha shook his head. "You're strong, Kagome. You saved yourself. I just helped a little at the end."

She sighed deeply. "I've been sleeping for so long, but I still feel exhausted."

Inuyasha gently ran his claws up and down her arm. "You weren't sleeping, not really. It'll probably take you a few days to really start feeling better."

Kagome nodded. She reached up to lay a hand on Inuyasha's chest right above his heart.

She must have felt when it skipped a beat.

"I watched you die in there," she said quietly. "Naraku killed you." She moved her hand down to his stomach. "He stabbed you right there."

Inuyasha tightened his arm around her. "Silly woman," he replied quietly. "I can't be killed that easily."

Kagome laughed, the sound causing Inuyasha's heart to soar.

She pulled away from his to meet his gaze, the trauma and pain still evident in her eyes. Inuyasha had never expected to see her in such a state. It was such a vast difference from the upbeat temperament he'd gotten so used to seeing from her.

Kagome reached up to touch his face, and he let her take what she needed.

Light fingertips brushed over his cheeks, nose, lips, and finally neck. He felt her pause at his pulse point before moving her hand down to rest over his heart again.

"You're alive," she breathed. "Your heart is beating..." Her eyes began to water, tears streaming down her face.

"I watched everyone I love die in there," she said shakily. "My mother, my dad, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, my crew...everyone." A quiet sob came from her. "But you, Inuyasha, it killed me to watch you die. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I can't…"

She dissolved into tears, and Inuyasha could tell everything that had happened to her was finally starting to sink in and overwhelm her.

Inuyasha didn't waste a moment in pulling her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm here," he murmured as she buried her face in his neck. Her tears were warm against his skin as she continued to cry silently. Her body shook every few moments until her breathing evened out and Inuyasha no longer felt new tears falling on him.

He ran his claws through her hair, down her back, and traced his hand back up the same plane of her body.

Kagome sniffled, her hand never drifting from his heart.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, Kagome," he murmured. "I'm sorry I left...I'm so sorry." He thought back to what Kikyo said about everything panning out according to destiny, but with Kagome falling apart in his arms like this, he found it hard to accept.

Kagome shook her head. "I don't blame you. I had to go through my father's death again, but I got to see him for the first time in _years_ for at least a short moment before he told me my mother died and before he was killed."

Inuyasha gently pulled away from her. He put his hand under her chin and carefully tilted her head up to look into her eyes.

"I'll never leave again," he swore. Kagome nodded, her hand still firmly settled against his heart.

"Inuyasha," she murmured. "Will you kiss me?" Inuyasha didn't hesitate.

His light kiss was gentle, soothing, his lips only moving slightly over hers.

She reciprocated weakly, the strain of just keeping that kind of contact after falling apart seeming to completely exhaust her.

Inuyasha pulled away immediately, knowing that he needed to be careful with her.

"There will be time for that," he assured her, "later. When you've recovered more."

She nodded and closed her eyes as Inuyasha leaned down to touch his forehead to hers.

"I still have some stuff to tell you and the others," he said. "But it can wait until tomorrow. I think we should get back to the inn so you can rest."

Kagome didn't protest; instead, she wrapped one of her arms around his neck and allowed him to pick her up.

As they made their way back, Kagome's hand never left his chest.

O.o.O.o.O

When they made it back to the inn, the others were already sleeping. Kirara was resting at the foot of Miroku and Sango's bed, while Shippo was tucked in between the two adults. Kagome smiled at him. She'd missed the little kit tremendously.

Inuyasha helped her into the other bed and pulled the covers over her. He quickly slipped off his shoes and changed into clothes more suitable for sleeping.

When he lay down, Kagome was quick to roll over and curl up against him. Her hand went straight to his heart. She'd found it was the only thing that could keep her from falling back in the memory of watching him die.

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around and began to quietly hum the youkai lullaby. Kagome sighed, finally content to be settled in his embrace once again.

Her entire body was screaming with exhaustion, but she found that she couldn't fall asleep. It wasn't until Inuyasha's hand began moving up and down her back in the way she loved. It finally lulled her into a heavy slumber.

Then the nightmares began.

As quickly as she'd fallen asleep, she was awake, sitting up quickly and screaming bloody murder.

Everyone woke up immediately, concerned gazes all settled on her.

Inuyasha the first to speak.

"Kagome, what happened?" he asked.

She burst into tears, head falling into her hands.

She was so mentally and emotionally exhausted, but the memories of what she'd gone through in her mind had affected more than she'd realized. Blood and death and suffering were consuming her just as much as they had when Naraku had a hold on her mind.

She barely registered when four sets of arms wrapped around her, her friends enveloping her in a comforting embrace.

Kagome tried to remind herself that they were with her and that they were _alive_ , but it still felt like she was dying inside.

_Will I ever get over this?_ she wondered as she grounded herself in the people surrounding her. _Am I doomed to live in fear for the rest of my life?_

They all held her for a long time.

o.O.o

The next morning, Kagome's exhaustion had only gotten worse.

Kagome didn't sleep much after she told her friends she was feeling better. It was a lie; she _wasn't_ feeling better. She'd just been able to stop her incessant tears.

Inuyasha's heartbeat was her only real comfort once her friends had gone back to sleep.

Inuyasha stayed awake with her, his claws running up and down her back as they lay curled up together in silence.

She tried to assure her friends that she was okay, but they all knew her too well. Kagome was itching to get back to the ship and talk to the crew before making a new plan, but given that she could barely manage to use the bathroom without almost collapsing had Sango firmly telling her they still needed to wait a few days before leaving.

Kagome was plagued by sudden onslaughts of memories. She was practically suffocating in the inn room, and she eventually realized that all she wanted was to be able to get in the water. None of her nightmares had included swimming. Maybe that would help.

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo had left the room to give Kagome some quiet time to rest. Kagome had gripped Inuyasha's hand, silently pleading with him to stay.  
He had, and Kagome had stayed curled up against his body, a hand settled on his heart.

"I want to go swimming," she murmured. "Can we?"

Inuyasha hesitated. "Kagome...are you sure you're up to it?" Kagome looked up at him.

"That's the only place Naraku didn't torture me in my mind. I think...I think it would be nice to just swim for a little while."

Inuyasha appeared to think for a moment.

"Okay," he finally conceded. "We can go when the others come back. Maybe we can find a secluded beach or something." Kagome breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Thank you," she replied as she tucked her head back against him.

Their friends, Sango especially, didn't seem to like the idea of Kagome swimming, but they agreed. Kagome noticed that Sango had a lot of frustration toward Inuyasha, and she was worried. The captain reminded herself to ask Sango if she was alright.

Inuyasha carried Kagome on his back throughout the forest on the outskirts of the town, trying to sniff out a beach. After a few minutes of walking, he said he'd picked up on the scent of sand and saltwater and headed in that direction.

Kagome was quiet as they walked, lost in her thoughts, her legs itching to transform into a tail.

When the small, secluded beach finally came into view, she sighed in relief. She could already feel the water on her skin, pulling her into the waves in a gentle hug.

Once they reached the sand, Inuyasha helped her off his back. Kagome began peeling off her clothes until she was left in her undergarments. She kept a hand on Inuyasha to steady herself as she pulled off her pants.

"Come with me?" she asked, tugging his hand. Inuyasha nodded and took off his shoes, shirt, and pants until he was in his own undergarments.

His grip on her hand was tight as they walked toward the water.

At the first splash of water on her feet, Kagome sighed happily. The water was warm and smooth, welcoming her into its comfort.

Inuyasha followed her until they were waist-deep. He helped Kagome sit down in the water, joining her at her side when she was settled.

Kagome lay back in the water for a moment before drifting down under the surface.

Transforming into her ningyo form was like coming home. The shift from legs to tail brought instant relief to her body, the exhaustion already starting to lessen.

After she'd fully transformed, she took a deep intake of water into her gills, allowing the salty sensation to fill her body.

After a few moments, she sat up to find Inuyasha looking at her in wonder.

"I've never been so close to you when you transform," he said in awe. "It's even more amazing up close."

Kagome smiled and raised her tail up in the water. "Do you want to feel it?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened, but curiosity appeared to get the best of him. He ran his hand up and down her tail, only wincing once when he accidentally rubbed a scale wrong.

"Sorry," Kagome apologized sheepishly. "It's like a real fish's tail...the scales can scratch sometimes." Inuyasha shook his head and ran his hand up her tail again, being mindful of the scales.

"Beautiful," he murmured.

Kagome tugged on his hand. "Let's swim." Inuyasha nodded and followed her into deeper water.

She dove beneath the waves when the water had reached Inuyasha's neck, and he soon dove in after her.

Kagome flared her gills and let go of Inuyasha's hand to swim in wide circles, flipping and twirling her body around in the water. She swam back to Inuyasha, not missing the way he was watching her in pure admiration.

She pointed above them, motioning for him to breach with her.

They came up to the surface at the same time, their bodies only a hair's breadth away from each other.

Inuyasha gave her a small smile as he reached for her. His arms wrapped around her waist as she wrapped her tail around him, effectively pulling his body flush against hers.

She raised her hands to cup his cheeks, the water rejuvenating not only her soul, but her heart as well. Inuyasha raised her spirits even more.

They both moved at the same time, meeting in a kiss that surpassed gentle immediately. It started passionate, and that passion only intensified as every second passed. There was no tentative touch of lips; it was wide and deep and solid.

Inuyasha moved his hands up into her hair, gently tilting her head to the side for an even deeper kiss. Kagome could taste the saltwater on both of their lips as a warmth began to spread through her.

Tears started to fall from her eyes, mixing with the saltwater already present on their skin. Relief hit her in waves incomparable to any she'd ever seen or felt before.

Feeling him against her now, his familiar taste enhanced by the ocean water, his aura reflecting off of hers, finally gave her the peace she'd been missing. Inuyasha was here, he was _here_ , alive and well and wrapped up in her embrace.

Her love for him intensified in such an intense way that it startled her. She kissed him with every ounce of strength she had in her body; Inuyasha reciprocated with just as much fierceness, his roaming hands lighting Kagome on fire.

Inuyasha's mouth moved to her cheek, then jaw, then neck as he ravished her skin with his lips. Kagome sighed, the feel of Inuyasha's attentions on her sensitive skin as they floated in the water sending her into a state of happiness she'd never felt before. He returned to her lips, effectively throwing her into the euphoria to which she'd been slowly becoming addicted.

After what felt like centuries of passion, their kisses began to slow and become calmer, the intimacy in them just as incredible as the heat they'd shared just moments before.

Inuyasha kissed her a final time before pulling away; he smiled at her in a way she hadn't yet seen from him. Her racing heart flipped as she moved closer to pull him into a simple hug.

His arms wrapped tightly around her as he nestled against her hair; she could feel his heart beating against her chest as they held each other.

_I will never forget this moment…_

"I love you," she murmured against his wet skin. "So much, Inuyasha. You have no idea."

"I love you, too," he murmured back.

They stayed like for a long time, relishing in their reunion before pulling away to swim in the water again.

Kagome smiled as she and Inuyasha swam for most of the afternoon and well into the evening.

When they got out after Kagome transformed back into a human, the couple decided to lay out on the sand to dry off in the waning sunlight before heading back to the inn.

As they lay there watching the sun start to set, Kagome sighed in contentment.

"I feel better," she said. "I needed to swim."

Inuyasha turned his head to smile at her. "Good, I'm glad. The others will be happy to hear it. We've all been so worried."

Kagome rolled onto her side to meet his gaze. "I have a feeling that we're nearing the peak of the prophecy. Whatever Naraku is planning, it's coming quickly. Once he finds Urasue, he'll come."

"That reminds me," Inuyasha began, "there was something that happened before I was able to find you."

Kagome's eyes widened as Inuyasha told her about the fight with Goshinki, as well as the jewel shard he'd been able to find.

"That sounds really weird," she said. "One of Naraku's reincarnations just happened to drop a jewel shard? Do you really think Naraku would allow that to happen?"

Inuyasha hesitated a moment before answering.

"That's what Sango said," he admitted. "But...I don't know."

"And he put a crack in your sword?" Kagome asked. At Inuyasha's nod, Kagome frowned.

"Have you tried to use it since?" she asked.

"No," Inuyasha admitted. "I was too focused on finding you."

Kagome sighed. "Maybe we can test it out tomorrow, okay? We should get back to the inn." She leaned in for a final kiss before pulling Inuyasha up with her so they could get dressed.

When they were ready to go, Inuyasha smiled down at her before ruffling her slightly damp bangs. He kept a hold on her hand as they walked back to the inn.

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo all seemed shocked to see her walking so easily.

"It turns out I needed a swim," Kagome said happily. "I feel much better."

Sango walked over to hug her tightly. "I'm so glad." Kagome wrapped her arms around her and held her close.

Sango laughed against her. "It's nice to smell the ocean on you again." Kagome laughed as they let go of each other.

Shippo curled up on Kagome's lap once everyone had gotten settled.

"So we do have a problem," Kagome announced. "Inuyasha's sword is broken."

"It's not broken," he corrected lightly. "There's a small crack in it. I don't think it's a big deal, though."

"How did it crack?" Sango asked.

Inuyasha frowned. "Naraku's reincarnation bit it during our fight. There's a crack in the blade. I can show you guys tomorrow."

Miroku nodded. "Kagome, do you think we should go back to the ship?" Kagome hesitated.

"I think we should give the crew an update," she replied. "But honestly, I think we need to continue on foot. Naraku is obviously no longer sailing. I think it would be better if we were prepared for an attack on land."

The others didn't argue, but they didn't exactly agree either.

"If that's what you think is best," Sango began, "then that's what we should do." Miroku, Shippo, and Inuyasha nodded.

"Should we contact Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked Inuyasha. "Or Koga?"

Inuyasha hesitated but finally agreed. "We should let Sesshomaru know first. He can tell Koga if he thinks he needs to...he'll probably contact all the chiefs of the different sectors of the youkai community. Given how small the population is, it shouldn't take long for him to contact everyone. I'll go ahead and put all the stuff we've learned in a note."

He turned to their neko-youkai companion. "Kirara, can you take it for me?" Kirara mewed a feline affirmation. Inuyasha glanced at Kagome. "Maybe I'll ask how Asahi is, too." Kagome smiled brilliantly at him and nodded her agreement.

After a little longer of talking, they all decided to try and get some rest. Shippo was curled up against Kagome, so Inuyasha settled for just resting his foot against hers.

She smiled at the hanyo and took his hand.

_We'll make it out of this,_ Kagome resolved silently as her eyes drifted closed. _We just need to figure out how._

She fell into a peaceful slumber.

O.o.O.o.O

Naraku smiled as he felt himself fade from Kagome's mind. Now that Inuyasha had made contact with Kagome, Naraku's hold on Kagome had been severed.

_No matter,_ Naraku assured himself. _Once I've found Urasue, I will be able to find them even easier than if I were still connected to Kagome's mind._

Naraku had gotten word of Urasue's whereabouts, and he was preparing to find her.

Goshinki had done an excellent job of laying the trap for Inuyasha. The shard had helped Inuyasha find Kagome, and now it would only serve to taint the whole of the jewel further when Naraku returned the shards to it.

_Apparently Goshinki even damaged his sword,_ Naraku mused. _That will work to our advantage when we see him again._

Naraku stood up and put his baboon pelt on. He had his reincarnations, including the recent ones he'd created, as well as the final member of the Band of Seven. His small army was powerful enough to bring Kagome and Inuyasha down, especially with the damage Gohsinki had done to Inuyasha's sword.

Naraku would need the captain and the hanyo incapacitated for Urasue to carry out his plans. The hoard of evil he had behind him would be more than enough to do so.

"Kagura, Kanna!" Naraku called. His first two reincarnations had been the ones to uncover the potential location of Urasue, and it was promising enough that Naraku would be going with them to check.

Kagura and Kanna entered the room, the former with a frown on her face and the latter with her usual lifeless expression.

"It's time to go," Naraku announced. "It will just be the three of us going to find her. We will bring Urasue back here once we've captured her."

Kagura scoffed. "You really think we'll be able to get her that easily?" she asked. "It was hard enough to find the stupid woman. I doubt she'll go out without a fight."

Naraku glared at her. "You underestimate me, Kagura." He reached into the sleeve of the kimono he was wearing under the baboon pelt and pulled out Kagura's heart.

Kagura's eyes widened at the sight before they squeezed closed in pain when Naraku gave her heart a solid squeeze. She gapsed and fell to her knees, clutching her heartless chest.

"You will do best to keep _quiet_ ," Naraku ordered. "Remember, Kagura, I can break you in one _second_."

He let Kagura gasp on her knees for another moment before he released her heart and put it back in his sleeve.

Kagura groaned and didn't move, her body rendered motionless from Naraku's exertion on her heart. Naraku walked swiftly toward the door of the room.

"Be outside in thirty seconds," he instructed, "or I won't hesitate to give your heart a few more squeezes." He left the room, an evil grin on his face as he heard the pained breathing of Kagura still wheezing from the room behind him.

Tossing the hood of the pelt up over his head, Naraku walked outside and prepared himself for the journey.

_I'm one step closer, Kikyo._

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. I wanted to really try and capture the exact repercussions that can come from trauma. Kagome is a really strong woman, but living through hell in the form of nightmares and hallucinations would break down anyone. Since this was a big experience for her, I wanted the healing process to be as genuine as possible. I know that sometimes people get a little frustrated by strong characters breaking down in emotion like Kagome does in this chapter, so that's why I'm explaining my thought process.


	17. New Directions

**Chapter 17: New Directions**

Inuyasha flopped down on the bed and sighed in contentment. Sleeping in the trees had nothing on the warm, comfortable bed wrapped in Kagome's scent.

When the hanyo curled up in the blanket, he caught a trace of Sango's scent as well, so he figured she must have slept in the bed with Kagome while Inuyasha was gone. It caught him off-guard, but he was relieved to know Kagome had someone in here with her while he was gone.

Kagome laughed as Inuyasha reacquainted himself with the bed. "I guess you missed it, huh?" Inuyasha grinned and reached out to pull Kagome down on the mattress with him.

"That's not the only thing," he teased as he planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Two weeks was _way_ too long." Kagome laughed again as she got comfortable in the bed, too.

"Those beds at the inn were pretty uncomfortable," she commented as she rolled over to face Inuyasha. "I prefer our bed."

Inuyasha sighed. "It's nice being home after traveling so much." Kagome smiled at him and took his hand.

"Home, huh?" she repeated. "It sounds like you really warmed up to the ship." Inuyasha blushed.

"The ship among other things," he replied. Kagome let go of his hand and reached up to brush her fingers against his cheek.

"I'm happy you think of the ship as your home," she murmured. "That's what I always wanted." Inuyasha reached up to take her hand and moved it down to his heart, mimicking the movement Kagome had taken up doing since she'd woken up from Naraku's seal.

"I can't believe I didn't know you until a few months ago," Inuyasha said. "So much has changed since then."

Kagome hummed. "I know," she agreed. "I can't imagine you not being here...I can't imagine not being with you." Inuyasha reached out his arm to pull her against him as he nestled his face in her hair.

"Me neither," he replied. "I just can't wait until this is all over and we can come back to the ship."

Kagome huffed. "I hate Naraku." Inuyasha couldn't help but laugh.

They were setting out the next day to resume their journey on foot. They'd returned to the ship the day after Kagome had recovered with her swim, and the crew had been overjoyed to see her alive and well. The chef had wanted to make a special dinner in her honor.

They had a lot to prepare before they left, so they decided to enjoy dinner and spend a final night on the ship before leaving the following morning. It gave Kagome time to see if her powers had returned, which to the entire crew's relief, they had. Kagome shot several spiritually-charged arrows into the ocean to make sure, and the bright smile on her face had Inuyasha grinning in a way he usually reserved for when they were alone.

They needed to wait until Kirara returned from sending an update to Sesshomaru to set off, so they figured by the time they were ready to leave the next day, she would be back.

Inuyasha was dreading it; as much as he wanted to find Naraku, he also wanted to just _stop_. He just wanted to live on the ship without fear, without a looming darkness that was his and Kagome's destiny to stop.

He sighed. No matter how much he didn't like it, this was his life, this was his destiny, and he would never run from it. Not now.

So they were spending one more night on the ship for the last time in who knows how long. They didn't know where Naraku was, but with his several reincarnations as well as the last member of the Band of Seven out there, Inuyasha figured he would be able to sniff them out sooner or later.

"Did you have a human night when you were gone?" Kagome asked, her voice slightly muffled against his shirt.

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, a couple days before I found Miroku in the town. I won't have another human night for a little over three weeks." Kagome sighed.

"How likely is it that we'll destroy Naraku before then?" she asked. Inuyasha squeezed her a little tighter.

"We can always hope," he replied. "But we'll defeat him no matter how long it takes."

Kagome was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "I think Miroku and Sango will probably get married after Naraku is gone."

Inuyasha chuckled. "Really? They haven't been together that long." Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"Knowing Miroku, he'll probably want to start having kids right away. I can't imagine Sango not wanting to, so that's probably what will happen."

"Aunt Kagome," Inuyasha said. "That has a nice ring to it."

Kagome laughed. "Uncle Inuyasha. That actually sounds a little weird."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. _Does she mean…?_

Kagome winced. "Wait, I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't...I'm not trying to imply anything-"

Inuyasha stopped her when he put a hand on her chin and tilted her head up so he could look at her.

"It does sound weird," he agreed. "But it could grow on me." Kagome blushed and smiled.

_I guess Kagome isn't the only one with marriage on the brain,_ he realized. _Once Naraku is gone, we'll have plenty of time, and I don't think either of us want to rush, but...maybe eventually._

They lay curled up with each other for a long while, the quiet of the room creating a calm oasis for them.

Kagome's breathing evened out later that night, letting Inuyasha know she'd fallen asleep.

As Inuyasha started to drift off, he tried to not focus on the fact that he didn't know when they'd have another night like this, curled up together in their bed.

_That night will come,_ Inuyasha resolved.

o.O.o

The next morning as they were packing up the rest of their items, Kirara returned.

"Mew," she called after she'd shifted back into her smaller form.

"Kirara!" Sango greeted as the neko-youkai hopped into her arms. "I missed you!"

Kirara nuzzled Sango's neck before presenting the note she had tied around her neck. Sango took it and handed it to Inuyasha.

"Thanks, Kirara," Inuyasha said as he opened the note to read it.

As he took in the words, his eyes widened.

"Naraku has been slaying youkai," he announced. "When I was at the castle, Sesshomaru told me about random attacks but we couldn't figure out who it was. Apparently a youkai survived an attack and made it to Sesshomaru's castle to tell him about it."

"Why would Naraku be doing that?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha read the rest of the note and frowned. "Apparently he was after their strength, whatever that means."

Kagome leaned over his shoulder to peek at the note. "Maybe he's trying to strengthen himself with the power of other youkai," she suggested.

"That sounds plausible," Sango agreed. Inuyasha sighed and folded the note back up.

"We need to hurry up and find him," Inuyasha said firmly. "The youkai community can't afford to lose anyone else. Sesshomaru is sending out a large force to inform all the youkai in the country. It's so bad that even _he's_ going. He said he'll be in touch and that he'll be able to find us wherever we go."

"Then let's head out as quickly as possible," Kagome announced. "We don't have time to waste."

They dispersed to grab their bags and weapons, but Inuyasha set a hand on Kagome's arm to stop her for a moment.

When she looked at him in patient expectancy, he hesitated.

"Um," he began, "Sesshomaru said Asahi is doing well. She's feeling good and the baby is healthy."

Kagome smiled. "That's great. I can't wait to see her again." Inuyasha couldn't help but smile back.

Twenty minutes later, the crew was sending them off as the small group departed from the trip.

"We'll see you soon," Kagome vowed. "Stay safe!"

Kagome told Shippo to wait behind to take care of the crew again, to which he reluctantly agreed.

"You'll be back soon, right?" he asked. Kagome smiled and nodded.

"We'll be back before you know it," she assured him. Shippo smiled sadly, so Kagome hugged him tightly before leaving with the others.

"Alright," Kagome said as they began walking. "Let's just walk inland for a little while and then we'll go from there." The group nodded their agreement and they set off.

They'd decided to walk in the direction in which Inuyasha said Goshinki had retreated after their fight. From there, they'd do what they could to track him and hopefully Naraku as well.

They wasted no time in traveling, eating lunch as they walked to minimize having to stop.

It was rather quiet as they walked; Inuyasha was keeping his ears open for any noises and had skipped eating to lessen any distractions to his sense of smell.

By late evening, they'd made good time in traveling, but hadn't found any sign of Naraku.

"We could stop in a town tomorrow," Miroku suggested as they all settled in for the night. "Maybe there have been rumors about Naraku."

"That's a good idea," Kagome replied, obviously noticing the uneasiness on Inuyasha's face. "It's always possible."

They set up their camp and ate a relatively small dinner, their goal looming over them.

Kagome smiled at Inuyasha a few extra times and held his hand until she finally fell asleep later that night. It soothed Inuyasha into a decent sleep.

_I don't know what I would do without her..._

O.o.O.o.O

The next morning, the group set out to find a nearby town to see if they could pick up any rumors about Naraku.

When they came upon a town, Kagome and Sango decided to go alone and ask around so Inuyasha didn't have to worry about hiding his youkai features. Miroku stayed behind, too; they all figured two women wouldn't seem as suspicious.

Kagome and Sango began their search at a small fruit vendor's kiosk. They bought a few pieces of fruit before doing their investigating.

Nothing.

At the next vendor, still nothing. It was the same with every single person they asked.

Finally, they made some progress at the last vendor's kiosk.

"You ladies traveling with just each other?" the vendor asked as they paid for some bread. "It's not safe for two lovely things like yourselves to be alone."

Kagome resisted rolling her eyes and decided to use this as an opportunity.

"My cousin and I are traveling to our grandparents' home," Kagome lied. "Have you heard of any rumors of anything out there that we should be careful about?"

The vendor looked around before furtively whispering, "Actually, there are rumors of an evil presence that's been looming around." Kagome had to keep her eyes from widening. _Could this be Naraku?_

Kagome and Sango exchanged fake fearful glances.

"What do you know about it?" Sango asked, her voice leaking feigned fear.

The vendor shook his head as he wrapped up their loaves of bread. "Apparently humans have been trying to capture him because he's so dangerous, but he manages to slay all of them. Normally with the advancements we have now, it's easy to kill youkai, but this one is different."

Kagome's heart clenched at the reminder of how easy it was to kill youkai, but hope still managed to manifest in her.

"Do you know where the youkai is going?" she asked innocently. "We would like to be weary of it during our travels."  
The vendor nodded. "Last I heard, he was heading in the direction of the ox-tiger. That was a few weeks ago."

_Success!_ Kagome cheered inwardly. _Finally!_

Kagome breathed a fake sigh of relief. "We're heading in a different direction. I'm so relieved now. " The vendor smiled.

"That's good," he cooed. "It would be a shame for two beautiful women to be in danger."

_Yuck! This guy is disgusting!_

"Thank you for the advice," Sango said as she looped her arm through Kagome's. "We need to be on our way now."

They hurried from the village back to where Inuyasha and Miroku were hiding.

"Good news!" Kagome cried. "Naraku was seen heading in the direction of the ox-tiger!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "That's northeast. We're roughly in the middle of Japan so we should be able to get there in good time."

The relief was evident in the group as they hugged and congratulated each other. They were finally on their way to finding him, and with this lead, Kaogme felt a real and true hope settle in her heart.

Inuyasha hugged her tightly, bringing her feet up off the ground.

"Finally," he murmured against her hair. "We're almost there."

Kagome couldn't wipe the smile from her face for the rest of the day.

o.O.o

The next morning, they set off bright and early. They tied a note to Kirara's neck to inform Sesshomaru of Naraku's location. She would be able to find the daiyoukai easily and would meet back up with the others after she'd delivered it.

After Kirara left, the others went straight in the direction of the ox-tiger, knowing that when they got close enough to Naraku's location, Inuyasha would be able to sniff him out.

The cheerfulness of the day ended in late afternoon when they had an unexpected visitor.

Kagome and Inuyasha froze at the same time and immediately exchanged glances.

"Someone is coming," Kagome announced. "It feels like Naraku."

"It's got the same scent as Naraku and Goshinki," Inuyasha added. "It has a slightly different aura, though."

Miroku and Sango assumed fighting stances as the aura began to come closer and closer until a figure appeared in the sky.

"Is that Kagura?" Sango asked. Kagome frowned and peered up.

"I don't think so," Kagome replied. "Kagura's aura is different."

Before anyone could respond, a large origami crane appeared above them, reminding Kagome of Kagura's feather.

The crane disappeared to reveal a regally-dressed man with a long, black ponytail and purple eyes. His red-painted lips were titled an almost friendly smile.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha demanded. "Are you one of Naraku's incarnations?"

The man set one of his hands on the hilt of a sword strapped to his back.

"I am Byakuya of the Dreams," he greeted with a slight bow. "Yes, I am one of Naraku's reincarnations."

Kagome grabbed the bow from her back as well as an arrow from her quiver and made quick work in nocking it on the string.

"What do you want?" she demanded. "We won't hesitate to kill you if you attack."

Byakuya hummed and seemed to examine her. "I will not be attacking you," he replied calmly. "I will just be taking something and then I shall be on my way."

_He must be after our jewel shards!_

Kagome didn't bother arguing. Instead, she shot her arrow at Byakuya, making sure to charge it full of spiritual power.

Byakuya frowned as the arrow closed in on him. In one moment, he moved.

Kagome gasped at the sight in front of her.

Byakuya had caught the arrow in his fingers.

Red lips pursing in curiosity, Byakuya examined the bow.

"Hmm, I see," he murmured. "This will do nicely."

Before anyone could react, Byakuya was twisting the arrow and throwing it toward Kagome.

It pierced her in the shoulder, having caught her completely off-guard.

Kagome gasped when it entered her skin, but she felt no pain. If anything, her shoulder was _numb_.

"What did you do to the arrow?" she shouted. Byakuya shrugged and gave a flick of his wrist.

The arrow moved again, this time completely disappearing into Kagome's body. Instead of coming out on the other side of her, the arrow went all the way in.

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha shouted. "Get that thing out of her!"

Kagome saw him whip out the Tessaiga, only vaguely noticing the crack, before he swung the sword at Byakuya.

It caught the reincarnation by surprise; Inuyasha landed a good slice on his torso, allowing blood to leak from his body.

"Now why would you do that?" Byakuya asked. "I would like to finish up here quickly. I have other things to do."

Inuyasha went to lunge again, but Byakuya moved faster.

Byakuya pulled out his own sword and swung, colliding with Inuyasha's Tessaiga.

The blades met with a loud screeching sound that rang in the air.

Inuyasha growled and pushed in on Byakuya until they were nearly nose-to-nose. Byakuya smiled evilly before quickly whipping his sword once more against the Tessaiga.

At that moment, Kagome knew she would never forget the look on Inuyasha's face as Byakuya's blade struck the Tessaiga directly on the crack, effectively snapping the sword in half.

The top half of the blade went flying off to the side, landing on the ground and transforming back into the rusty kitana.

Inuyasha stared at the hilt in his hands in shock before looking back up at Byakuya.

"Get down here!" Inuyasha commanded.

Kagome's eyes widened as she felt a burn coming from her shoulder. She looked down and saw the arrow had reappeared and was now slowly pulling itself out of her skin.

"What…" Her words were cut off by Byakuya's movement. He was focused on Kagome, his eyes glued to the spot where the arrow was still protruding from her skin.

Suddenly, Byakuya flicked his wrist once more and the arrow came shooting out of Kagome's shoulder. The arrow had a small pink light glowing on the tip of it, leaving Kagome to look up at it in horror.

_What is that?_ she wondered silently. _What did he just pull out of me?_

"I can see why you have become such a pain to Naraku," Byakuya commented as the arrow returned to his hand. "Your soul is very strong, but not to worry. Even this small portion should do. Your arrow was a big help in retrieving it. I thank you for it."

"You took part of my soul?" Kagome shouted. "Why?"

Byakuya shrugged as he pulled the portion of Kagome's soul off the arrowhead before tossing the wooden arrow aside. "Preparations are being made and Naraku needs a kickstart."

With that, he flew off in the opposite direction.

Kagome watched him fly off, her eyes widening in fear.

_He took part of my soul...but how? None of Naraku's reincarnations have ever been able to do it before._

"Kagome, are you okay?" Inuyasha asked urgently as he came to her side. Kagome nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she assured him. "Just...a little surprised, I guess."

"Byakuya must be stronger than the other reincarnations," Miroku commented. "That must be why he was actually able to take part of your soul unlike the others."

"You're right," Kagome agreed. "But why just my soul? Why wasn't he after the jewel shards we have?" Miroku shook his head.

"Maybe stealing part of your soul," he began, "has become his priority."

Kagome's eyes widened. "You're right...but why-"

She cut herself off when she noticed Inuyasha walking away from the group.

"Inuyasha?" she called.

Her eyes widened when she saw him kneel down on the ground in front of his sword.

_The Tessaiga,_ she thought to herself. _It really_ did _snap…_

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry," Kagome said as she walked over to kneel beside him. "Do you think we can fix it?" Inuyasha sighed before looking up at Kagome.

"I don't know," he admitted as he picked up the two pieces. "I didn't think the crack was that bad, but it felt like Byakuya had some sort of enchantment on his sword. With the crack already there, Tessaiga just couldn't withstand it."

"What can we do?" Miroku cut in as he and Sango joined them around the blade. Inuyasha frowned.

"Maybe I can try to fuse it back together on my own somehow," he replied. "But...I don't know if that would work."

Kagome set a hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure it out," she encouraged. "Let's go ahead and have dinner."

Inuyasha nodded and stood up before bringing the two pieces over to where they planned on setting up camp for the night. As they got a fire going, Kagome couldn't help but notice the concern on Inuyasha's face.

_We need to figure this out,_ she resolved. _Soon._

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha spent the majority of the night staring at his sword and trying to figure out what he should do about it. He'd tried putting the pieces together and trying to transform them to see if that could fuse them back together, but it didn't work. He huffed.

_I can't fight Naraku without a sword,_ he grumbled silently. _I need my weapon._

Deciding to give up for the night, he put the two pieces down and walked over to lay down next to Kagome. She was already asleep, but she curled up next to him as soon as he was close to her. Inuyasha sighed and wrapped an arm around her as he stared up at the night sky.

_I should probably go see Totosai,_ Inuyasha realized. _He made the sword, so he can probably fix it._

Inuyasha frowned. Based on where they were, they could probably make it to Totosai's house in a day if Inuyasha and Kagome ran. Kirara could probably fly Miroku and Sango.

The hanyo closed his eyes and tried to allow slumber to overtake him. He was too concerned to sleep, so he spent most of the night awake, wondering how much this would set them back.

Then there was the whole thing with Byakuya...how had he managed to take out that little portion of Kagome's soul?

_What could Naraku possibly be planning?_ Inuyasha wondered. _I thought he just wanted to kill us because of the prophecy, but now it seems like he has something else up his sleeve…_

His heart clenched; whatever Naraku was planning, it seemed to focus mostly on Kagome. Naraku obviously wanted to kill both of them, but it seemed like he needed Kagome for something else.

He needed her _soul_.

But why?

Thoughts raced through Inuyasha's mind until the sun began to rise. He felt Kagome start to stir next to him as she took in a deep breath and stretched before opening her eyes.

"Good morning," she greeted sleepily as she nestled her head against him.

"Hey," he replied, kissing the top of her head.

Kagome sighed and ran her hand over his chest. "Did you sleep okay?"

Inuyasha hesitated. "Not really," he admitted. "I think I know what we should do about the Tessaiga."

"That's good," Kagome chirped. "I'll go ahead and get breakfast ready and then we can all talk about it then, okay?" Inuyasha nodded his agreement.

Kagome kissed him quickly before getting up and walking over to their food pack.

Without her warmth at his side, Inuyasha felt a silly loneliness.

_I'm in deep with this woman,_ he mused silently. _I don't ever want to be away from her._

He pushed the thoughts from his mind before sitting up to join Kagome. There would be time for those kinds of thoughts later.

After Miroku and Sango had woken up and they were all eating breakfast, Kagome glanced at Inuyasha encouragingly.

"So I have an idea," he announced, "about how I can get Tessaiga fixed."

"That's excellent," Miroku replied. "What do you need to do?"

Inuyasha paused. "Well, we have to go see the youkai that forged it. His name is Totosai."

The hanyo knew Kagome would recognize the name; he'd told her about Tessaiga's origins during one of their firsts night back on the ship after it had originally transformed.

"He lives about a day away from here," Inuyasha continued. "If Kagome and I run and Kirara carries you guys, we should get there in that time."

The others nodded their agreement.

"That sounds like a plan," Sango replied. "Do you think Totosai will be able to fix it?" Inuyasha hesitated.

"I hope so," Inuyasha replied.

"Let's head out after breakfast," Kagome suggested. "We can run throughout the whole day and probably get there by tonight, right?" At Inuyasha's affirmative nod, Kagome smiled.

Inuyasha noticed a hesitant look on Sango's face.

"What's wrong, Sango?" he asked. Sango frowned.

"Do you think Kirara can handle flying that long?" she asked. "I don't want her to get too tired."

Kirara mewed and jumped in Sango's lap before nuzzling her stomach. The group, Sango especially, had gotten used to distinguishing what each of Kirara's mews seemed to signify.

Kirara mewed, the sound affirmative, and nuzzled Sango again.

Sango laughed and ran her hand down Kirara's back. "I'll take that as a yes."

Twenty minutes later, they were ready to head out. Inuyasha kept his fingers crossed that they would make it to Totosai's house quickly.

o.O.o

It was late evening when they approached the general area in which Totosai's house was located.

Inuyasha nearly smiled. _It's been months since I last saw him and Myoga,_ he realized. _I can't believe how much has changed since then._

Inuyasha stopped running, and the others followed suit.

"We're close," he announced. "But...um, do you guys mind if I go alone? Totosai has been living here in secret, so…"

The others nodded.

"Of course," Kagome replied. "We'll be right here waiting for you." Inuyasha smiled and nodded.

"Thanks. I'll see you guys later."

With that, he made his way through the forest until he approached the barrier concealing Totosai's house. He walked through it and immediately felt Totosai's aura jump in surprise.

The old youkai appeared in the doorway and smiled brightly.

"You've come back, my boy!" he greeted. Inuyasha smiled back at him and reached out to grasp his hand.

"Hey, Totosai," he greeted back. "How are things here?" Totosai led him in the house and motioned for him to sit down in the chair.

"Same old, same old," Totosai replied. "Are you hungry? I made stew earlier. I can heat it up for you." Totosai blew his fire breath on the bottom of the pot, immediately causing hot steam to rise from the top.

The old youkai poured Inuyasha a bowl and set it down in front of him. Before Inuyasha could take a bite, he felt a pinch on his neck.

The hanyo slapped the skin and heard a weak moan of pain.

"Hey, Myoga," Inuyasha greeted as he held the flea youkai in his palm.

"Master Inuyasha," Myoga croaked. "Why must you always crush a lowly flea such as myself?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Maybe if you stopped sucking my blood all the time, I wouldn't have to."

"There's something different about you, Inuyasha," Totosai commented as he sat down at the table across from the hanyo. "You have a woman's scent on you. Could that have something to do with it?" Inuyasha blushed.

"Um...well, maybe…"

Totosai laughed. "Fill me in."

Inuyasha began to tell him the tale of what had happened since the last time he'd left Totosai's house. Neither Totosai nor Myoga interrupted him as he spoke, but the looks of surprise on their faces told Inuyasha enough.

Inuyasha paused his story before he got to the part about Tessaiga breaking. He wasn't sure how to even _begin_ to tell them about that.

"Wow," Totosai said. "So Captain Higurashi is actually named Kagome...and now you're traveling with him-er, _her_...and you're in love with her? That's a lot to happen, my boy. It seems you're living quite an adventure." Inuyasha shrugged.

"It's just how it is now," he replied. "I have Kagome, so I can't really complain." He paused. _Now or never_. "There is one problem, though. The Tessaiga broke during our last battle."

Totosai's jaw dropped. "What? You fool! Give me the sword!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the dramatic reaction and dropped Myoga onto the table before pulling the two pieces of Tessaiga from his bag.

"Tessaiga!" Totosai cried. "What has he done to you?" Fat tears began to fall from Totosai's eyes, provoking a grimace from Inuyasha.

"You finally got the sword to work," Totosai accused, "only to break it?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Just tell me how to fix it," he replied. Totosai glared at him.

"Fine," he said curtly. "Give me a moment."

The old youkai stood up and went to dig around in a pile of tools Inuyasha hadn't noticed upon entering the house. The hanyo observed Totosai until the old youkai pulled out what he'd been looking for.

"Open your mouth for me, Inuyasha, would ya?" Totosai requested.

Inuyasha frowned, but opened his mouth. "Like this?"

Totosai moved, quickly grasping one of Inuyasha's fangs with a pair of pliers and yanking it out of his gums.

Inuyasha shouted in pain. "You stupid old man!" he yelled. "Why would you do that?"

Totosai rolled his eyes. "Your fang will grow back in an hour. If you want me to fix the sword, I'll need to fuse it back together with your fang. It was originally created from your father's fang, and I knew it would eventually need to be replaced with your own. I just never expected you would be daft enough to break it."

Inuyasha rubbed his aching mouth. "Alright, alright. How long until you can fix it?" Totosai set the fang on top of the two pieces of the Tessaiga.

"I can have it done by tomorrow morning," he replied. Inuyasha nodded before pausing.

"Um, I'm sorry, Totosai," he said sincerely. "I didn't mean to break it. We've been facing some tough opponents. I just...I have someone to protect now, and Tessaiga is how I do that."

Myoga, who had been silently sitting on the table, began to laugh. "I never expected to hear that from you," he said kindly. "Kagome must be quite a woman."

Inuyasha blushed, but didn't argue. Myoga was right, after all.

"I can fix it," Totosai cut in. "Is Kagome waiting for you somewhere nearby?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, she's with some of the crew just beyond the barrier." Totosai grabbed the pieces of the sword along with Inuyasha's fang and stood up to walk over to his tool pile.

"I'll bring it to you tomorrow morning," Totosai said. "I would like to meet her."

Myoga jumped onto Inuyasha's nose. "Me, too."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll be waiting. Thanks, Totosai."

Totosai waved as Inuyasha gulped down the rest of the stew.

"And thanks for the stew," Inuyasha added as he left.

Inuyasha missed the glance Totosai and Myoga exchanged.

Their young hanyo had fallen in love, and they quickly realized he wasn't so young anymore. He'd grown up into a strong man, and they were both immensely proud of him.

"His father would be in awe of him," Myoga commented. "He would have loved him." Totosai sighed and grabbed a mallet to start on the sword.

"Yes," he agreed. "He would have."

o.O.o

Inuyasha was antsy as he waited for the Tessaiga to be finished. Kagome, Miroku, and Sango were overjoyed to hear that his sword could be fixed and more than a little amused that it had cost him a fang. Inuyasha could already feel it growing back, so he wasn't too worried.

"Totosai will drop it off tomorrow morning," he informed them. "We should be good to go after he brings it."

Kagome took his hand and squeezed it encouragingly. A wave of affection for her hit Inuyasha, so he smiled at her and looked away to avoid any teasing from Miroku.

As they prepared for bed, Inuyasha was even antsier than the night before. He hadn't really slept much, and he was expecting the same kind of thing to happen that night.

After Miroku and Sango had fallen asleep, Kagome smiled at him from where she was curled up beside him.

"Can't sleep?" she murmured. Inuyasha shook his head.

Kagome gently ran her hand over his chest before sitting up.

She tugged on his hand so he would rise with her before she began to lead him away from their camp.

"Where are we going?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome turned to smile at him again.

"You'll see," she replied.

Kagome led him to a large tree before she let go of his hand and jumped up into one of the branches to start climbing.

She paused her climbing to look down at him. "Are you coming or not?"

Inuyasha chuckled and jumped up to the branch on which she was sitting. He sat against the trunk and smiled at her in amusement.

He settled himself against the trunk before opening his arms in invitation.

Kagome wasted no time in sliding down the branch to move against him with her head on his chest and her hand over his heart.

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her and held her close, the scent of her hair soothing him as it always did.

"I thought it might be nice," she began, "to just be alone for a little while."

"No better place than a tree," Inuyasha teased. Kagome laughed and leaned up to kiss his cheek before laying back down against his chest.

As they sat there in peaceful silence, Inuyasha thought back to what Totosai said.

_Kagome really has changed me,_ he realized. _She's changed me for the better. I'm not alone anymore…_

"What are you thinking about?" Kagome asked gently. "Your heart is racing." When he didn't answer, Kagome sat up to look at him, her eyes radiating concern.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Inuyasha shook his head and reached up his hands.

He cupped her cheeks and gently ran his thumbs over them before sliding his hands down to the soft skin of her neck, his fingers never ceasing their soft strokes against her.

Kagome's blue eyes drifted closed as she sighed in contentment. Inuyasha brought his hands back up to her cheeks, and Kagome leaned her face into his touch.

Her eyes opened and she smiled at him, her own hands coming up to rest against his that were still stroking her cheeks.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" she murmured gently. Inuyasha shook his head again, thriving in the peace between them.

_Kagome...my Kagome…_

"I wish you could have met my mother," Inuyasha blurted quietly. Kagome's eyes widened, obviously caught off-guard by the comment.

"She would have loved you," Inuyasha continued. "She would have...she would have loved you, Kagome."

Kagome smiled. "I'm sure I would have loved her, too. How could I not? She made you."

Inuyasha didn't think he would ever fall in love, especially so hard so fast.

But Kagome...there was something so _alive_ about Kagome. Every touch, even from the beginning, electrified him. It set him on fire in a way he'd never known was even possible.

He didn't think he was capable of loving Kagome any more than he already did, but somehow he managed to fall in love with her more and more with every second they were together.

Words were failing him, so he chose action instead.

He pulled her face toward him and kissed her, trying to put everything he was feeling into it. Kagome was quick to respond despite her obvious surprise, but Inuyasha could feel she had no hesitations.

Just as soon as the kiss started, Kagome pulled away to look at him seriously.

"We bonded over our shared youkai heritage at first," she began, "but I want you to know that even if one of us were a human or a full-youkai, I would feel exactly how I feel right now. I would love you in any form, at any time, in any circumstance."

Inuyasha nodded. "Me, too." He pulled her back to him in another kiss, wrapping his arms around her and moving his hands up her back and into her hair.

They stayed in the tree the whole night, eventually holding each in a peaceful quiet until Inuyasha fell asleep.

O.o.O.o.O

The next morning, Kagome felt two youkai auras that she didn't recognize approaching them.

She sighed against Inuyasha's chest, not wanting to wake him up after how hard it had been for him to finally fall asleep. She'd stayed up the rest of the night, wondering what had brought on such a tender action from Inuyasha.

She smiled and gently tapped his cheek.

"Inuyasha?" she said quietly. "Wake up." Inuyasha stirred, his arms coming to life around Kagome as he came back to consciousness.

"Hey," he greeted.

"I think Totosai and Myoga are coming," Kagome said. "We should go wait for them." Inuyasha nodded and let go of Kagome, allowing them to hop out of the tree and make their way to their camp.

It was early, just after dawn, so Miroku and Sango were still sleeping when Inuyasha and Kagome made it back to them. The two auras were getting closer, so Kagome gently woke them up so they would be ready for when Totosai and Myoga arrived.

When Totosai finally arrived with Myoga on his shoulder, Kagome could tell that Miroku and Sango were surprised by what they looked like, and in all honesty, Kagome was a little surprised, too.

"Hey, is my sword done?" Inuyasha asked.

Totosai tossed him the sword, which was still in its rusty form but was now in one piece. Inuyasha caught it and smiled.

"Thanks, Totosai," he said. "Um, I'll introduce you to everyone."

He introduced Miroku, then Kagome, then Sango, hoping to take the focus off of Kagome and avoid any teasing.

No such luck.

Myoga immediately jumped onto Kagome's nose and began to suck her blood.

Kagome slapped the skin, and Myoga drifted down onto Kagome's palm.

"You must be Myoga," she said in amusement. "Inuyasha warned me about your habit of sucking blood that doesn't belong to you."

Myoga chuckled and bowed. "It's an honor to meet the woman that has reigned in Inuyasha."

Inuyasha growled, but Kagome just laughed.

"He sure is nicer now," Totosai added. "Unless he's embarrassed like he was when we talked about you last night."

Inuyasha's cheeks went up into flames.

Kagome smiled. _That must be what sparked that interaction last night...but no complaints here._

"We've noticed that, too," Miroku commented. "It sure is easy to embarrass him."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Alright, if everyone is done busting my chops, I'd like to get out of here so we can hunt down Naraku."

Kagome smiled as Inuyasha held the sword up, obviously to check and see how the transformation was.

The sword transformed, but it immediately fell to the ground.

Inuyasha growled and turned to Totosai. "What did you do to my sword? It's way heavier than before."

Totosai scratched his head. "Really? Huh, that's odd."

Kagome put her hand on Inuyasha's shoulder before turning to Totosai.

"Did you change something about it?" she asked politely. "Something that could have made it heavier?"

Totosai thought for a moment. "Oh, yes," he finally said. "Inuyasha, I had to use your fang. You need to master the Tessaiga for you to wield it properly."

Inuyasha groaned. "Seriously, old man? I thought I'd already mastered it!" Totosai shook his head.

"There's more to learn about your sword," Totosai replied. "I'm sure you'll figure it out." Inuyasha looked about ready to fight, so Kagome quickly tugged on his arm.

"Inuyasha, relax," she said. "You figured it out the first time. I'm sure you can do it again." Inuyasha looked at her for a moment before finally nodding and putting the sword away.

Totosai laughed. "A prime example of how she's reigned you in. We'll see you later, my boy."

They were gone before Inuyasha could pick a fight.

Kagome could tell he was bothered by the shift in the sword, but she remained hopeful that they could figure it out.

"Let's get back to looking for Naraku," she suggested. "I'd like to destroy him and get that part of my soul back." Inuyasha nodded again and sighed.

"Sorry, guys," he said sheepishly. "It's just...I feel like I just got the ability to use my sword and now it's not working again."

"Don't worry," Miroku comforted. "I'm sure you'll figure out what to do."

"And we're always here to help," Sango added. "We'll help however we can." Kagome smiled at Inuyasha optimistically.

"Who's ready for breakfast?" she asked.

They ate breakfast and then tried to figure out a new route from their necessary detour to Totosai's home.

"Now we can resume our route," Kagome said once they'd determined their location in relation to the direction in which they needed to go. "We just need to keep heading northeast. We're so close...I can feel it."

The others agreed and set off, ready to find Naraku and face their final battle.

_We can do it,_ Kagome resolved. _We'll destroy Naraku together._

O.o.O.o.O

Naraku held the portion of Kagome's soul in his hand, smiling at the success he'd found.

"You did well, Byakuya," he complimented. "Better than your sisters, for sure."

Kagura rolled her eyes as Byakuya bowed to Naraku.

"Don't forget who found Urasue in the first place," Kagura reminded harshly. "That was Kanna and I doing your dirty work as usual."

Naraku frowned at her. As soon as this ordeal was done, he would end Kagura. He'd had more than enough of her.

Naraku turned to Urasue, who was chained up and unable to escape his clutches.

"Are you ready to help me now?" he asked. "Or do we need to keep you here a little longer?"

Urasue spit in his direction. "As if I would ever help a disgusting creature like you. I would rather die." Naraku laughed evilly.

"You'll come to find out that I'm very convincing," Naraku taunted. "Now do as I say or I'll make you _wish_ you were dead."

Urasue didn't speak; she only frowned at him.

"Even so," she finally said, "I can't do what you want with just a tiny portion of a soul like that. When I said I would only need part, I meant at least half. I can't complete the transfer if I don't have enough of a soul to work with." Naraku turned to glare at Byakuya.

"Did you hear that, Byakuya?" he asked. "She can't use this small portion of the soul. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Byakuya bowed. "That is all I was able to harvest. The girl's soul was very strong."

Naraku hummed. "Kanna couldn't get it, I couldn't get it, and now you can't get it. What a pain. Kagome and Inuyasha are sure to be heading this way. I've waited fifty years for this. I can wait a little while longer."

Naraku spared a final glance at Urasue. "Kanna, Kagura, keep her chained up. Byakuya, come with me."

Kagura rolled her eyes, but didn't argue as she and Kanna settled themselves to keep watch over Urasue. Byakuya followed Naraku out of the cave and toward his new castle.

_I'm so close,_ Naraku mused. _So close I can almost taste it…_

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to not do the canon aspect of Inuyasha going full youkai when the Tessaiga breaks. It's not really important in this story and how I plan on the plot continuing.
> 
> The next chapter will be another flashback chapter to Kagome's parents meeting and what exactly went down with that.


	18. Back to the Beginning: Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few quick notes for the next two flashback chapters:
> 
> First, when this chapter starts, Kaede still has both eyes. Kikyo is also OOC in this because it's a totally different story and a totally different situation so just keep that in mind. This is a forewarning because I know people tend to call out OOC characters and I don't want you all to be confused :)
> 
> Second, as you've probably noticed, this story is set in a time in which people live in houses in towns, not so much huts in villages. Even though this flashback is fifty years before the beginning of Kagome and Inuyasha's story, Kikyo and Kaede still live in an actual house. I just don't want you guys to get confused when they're drinking water from the sink or using a restroom inside.
> 
> Third, I aged Kaede up from the anime/manga.
> 
> Finally, this started out as one long 14,000 word chapter, but there are a few trigger warnings later on so I decided to split it up. I could honestly write an entire story based on just Kikyo and Kaito (Kagome's father), but we're just gonna stick with these two chapters :)
> 
> So settle in and enjoy!

**Chapter 18: Back to the Beginning, Part I**

Kikyo smiled at her sixth consecutive bullseye. She'd been a master archer since she was fifteen, but she often liked to practice her skills at least a few times a week. Youkai attacks were non-existent and had been her whole life, so she wasn't fighting very often. Just a little practice never hurt.

"Wow, Kikyo!"

Kikyo smiled at her younger sister who had been sitting nearby watching her. "You'll be hitting these in no time, Kaede."

Kaede walked over to join Kikyo at her side.

"Can I try?" she asked. Kikyo nodded and handed the bow to her.

At thirteen-years-old, Kaede wasn't a complete master of the bow, but she was still very talented. Kikyo smiled bittersweetly as Kaede released an arrow. Their parents would have been very proud.

Kaede huffed when the arrow missed the bullseyes by a relatively small margin.

"It's too far," she complained. Kikyo smiled.

"You have to work your way up it," she reminded kindly. "You'll get there someday. Don't worry. Let's go eat dinner, okay?"

Worries forgotten, Kaede nodded excitedly. "Are you still making your special fish?" At Kikyo's affirmative nod, Kaede cheered up. She took Kikyo's hand and practically pulled her along behind her.

Kikyo laughed and quickly followed Kaede to their little house.

As Kikyo set to work cooking the fish like their mother used to, she thought back to when she'd first learned how to prepare the meal.

"Make sure you don't add too much spice," her mother had instructed. "A little goes a long way."

Kikyo sighed at the memory and added the correct amount of spices. When she was finished cooking, she handed a plate to a very eager Kaede before eating her own serving.

After dinner, Kaede ran off to play with some other children in the town while Kikyo set to work on her nightly ritual.

She pulled the Shikon Jewel off the string around her neck and placed it on a small wooden table in front of her. As usual, there were no impurities in the jewel thanks to her careful guardianship, but she still did the routine each night as an extra precaution.

_It honestly seems like a waste of time now,_ Kikyo thought to herself. _No one even knows it exists, and even if someone did, it's unlikely that anyone would try to steal it during this peaceful era._ She sighed and finished the purification before returning the jewel to its usual place around her neck, making sure to tuck it beneath her haori to keep it hidden.

o.O.o

There was something ominous in the air.

It unsettled Kikyo and had her constantly peering over her shoulder expecting to see someone watching her.

Kaede didn't seem to notice anything and neither did any of the villagers, so Kikyo brushed it off as impractical paranoia.

_It's just another average day,_ she comforted herself. _Nothing to worry about._

She had things to do that day anyway; she didn't have time to be afraid of something that wasn't there.

Just like she did every morning, she took a bowl of fresh soup along with some water to a small cave on the outskirts of the town.

She'd discovered a gravely-injured man in a cave several weeks prior, so she'd taken up bringing him food and water each day. The man was burned on nearly his entire body, rendering him completely immobile. He could hardly swallow what Kikyo would give him. Regardless, she continued going, at least to make what time he had left more comfortable.

Despite her willingness to help, Kikyo had to admit that he made her a bit uneasy. His eyes were all she could see on his body, and they watched her every movement whenever she was in the cave.

Kikyo took a deep breath when she reached the entrance of the cave, preparing herself for the coming interaction.

"Good morning," Kikyo greeted as she entered the cave. The man was in the same spot she'd left him the day before, and the day before that, and so on.

The miko walked over to kneel next to him before pulling out the soup and water. As usual, Kikyo felt his eyes on her as she went about her task. She remained calm as always, making sure to be careful as she helped the man drink the water she offered.

She spent a silent few minutes with him, helping him sip the soup and drink the rest of the water.

When he had finished, Kikyo packed up her things and put them back in the basket.

"I'll return tomorrow," Kikyo promised as she stood up.

Silence answered her as she gave a wave to the man before exiting the cave.

As she walked back to the town, she breathed a sigh of relief.

_I'm happy to help, but he's just so_ creepy…

Shaking her head, Kikyo brushed off the discomfort that she knew would linger for a little while longer before subsiding. There was still an odd ominous feeling in the air, and that was starting to bother her a bit more.

_I'm sure it's nothing to worry about,_ Kikyo assured herself. _These are peaceful times. I just need to remember that. Maybe I'll take Kaede to pick flowers. She would have a lot of fun doing that._

By late evening, the uneasiness floating around Kikyo's mind was still distracting her.

"Are you okay, Kikyo?" Kaede asked as they ate dinner.

Kikyo nodded. "Oh, yes. Sorry, Kaede. Do you want more soup?" Kaede smiled and held out her bowl for a second helping.

Kikyo smiled back at her but couldn't fight the looming darkness she felt creeping over her.

That night, she was plagued by nightmares.

Shortly after she fell asleep, her subconscious was flooded by fire and death and evil. Faceless people and youkai were fighting around her, killing each other and wounding even more.

_What is this?_ she screamed in her sleep. _What's happening?_

All at once, the fighting was gone. Everything was dark, and Kikyo wondered if she would finally find peaceful slumber.

"Kikyo."

A calming voice called out from the darkness, startling Kikyo from where she was standing in a lightless place.

"Who's there?" Kikyo called back. "What do you want with me?"

"You must listen," the ethereal voice commanded. "Changes will come during a bright time. Darkness descends before the world can stop it. The change will come with resounding cry. To the miko and the hanyo, the darkness will submit. With the destruction of the jewel of death, only then will the world finally rest."

Kikyo shook her head. "What does that mean?" she asked desperately.

The voice grew louder, as if someone were coming closer to Kikyo, but no one was there.

"Listen to the prophecy, Kikyo," the voice said. "It must be fulfilled."

For some strange reason she would never be able to explain, tears began to stream down Kikyo's cheeks. There was something about the voice's words...something that _scared_ her.

"What do I need to do?" Kikyo asked. "How do I fulfill the prophecy?"

The voice didn't reply as Kikyo felt herself regaining consciousness. Before Kikyo's eyes opened, the voice spoke one last time.

"Find the miko and the hanyo…"

Kikyo woke up with a start, sweat dripping off her body and her heart racing.

She took in deep gasps of air as she tried to calm herself down.

As terrified as she was about it, she tried to relax. As a miko, premonitions and odd dreams were relatively normal, but Kikyo had _never_ felt anything like this.

Taking a deep breath, Kikyo got up and went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. As she dried her skin on a small rag, she reflected on what she'd heard in her dream.

_There's darkness coming,_ Kikyo realized. _The jewel of death...that must be the sacred jewel._

Kikyo fingered the jewel through the fabric of her kimono.

_The jewel... a miko and a hanyo are supposed to fulfill the prophecy._ She frowned.

_Since the prophecy came to me in a dream, I must be the miko. That means I need to find a hanyo…but how? I've never even_ met _one._

Kikyo sighed and put the rag down before walking back over to her bedroom and laying down.

It was a long while before Kikyo fell asleep.

o.O.o

The next day, Kikyo pondered over the prophecy as she made her way to the cave to visit the injured man.

"Good morning," she greeted as usual when she entered the cave.

The smile fell from her face when she took in the sight in front of her.

The man was gone; all that was left were the bandages Kikyo had applied to his wounds.

"Hello?" she called. _Maybe he just...crawled away?_

Kikyo frowned, but had to pay mind to the fact that some sort of animal could have gotten to him.

_There's no blood,_ she realized, _but what else could it be?_

Looking around one last time, Kikyo shook her head and left the cave. Her thoughts were already racing with the prophecy dream, so she was quickly occupied with that again. She pitied the man and sent up a silent prayer of peace for him, but there was nothing else Kikyo could do.

o.O.o

Three days after her dream, Kikyo debated on what she should do. The prophecy had chosen her for a reason, so she knew she needed to take action, but _how?_

A heavy knock came on the door, startling Kikyo from her pensive seat in the kitchen. She got up and went to answer the door to find a very obviously troubled townsman.

"Hello, Izanshi," Kikyo greeted. "Is everything alright?"

Izanshi shook his head. "There's been a youkai attack a few towns over. It was out of nowhere! The whole town is just wiped out...it's all gone!" Kikyo's eyes widened.

"The entire town? By a youkai? We haven't had a youkai attack in decades."

Izanshi referred to the bag on his back. "My family is packing up and going into hiding. We don't want to risk being killed by a youkai."

Before Kikyo could reply, he was departing toward his waiting family just beyond Kikyo's house.

Kikyo frowned as she closed the door. _A youkai attack? During such a peaceful time? It seems impossible…_

She went to the kitchen to start preparing lunch for when Kaede returned from playing with her friends. As she got things together, she pondered over the strange attack.

_A random youkai attack right after I get a prophecy about darkness setting in the world? Could it just be a coincidence…?_

Over the next three days, Kikyo received word of several more youkai attacks. _This can't be a coincidence._

The next day, Kikyo made a decision.

At dinner that night, Kikyo took a deep breath.

"Kaede," she began, "I have to tell you something."

Kaede frowned, immediately picking up on her upset. "What's wrong?"

Kikyo set down her bowl of food and looked at Kaede.

"I have to go away for a while," Kikyo replied. "I don't know when I'll be back."

Kaede's eyes widened. "Why? Did something happen?"

Kikyo explained the dream she had and repeated the prophecy she'd heard.

"So I need to go find a hanyo," Kikyo concluded. "The hanyo and I will fulfill the prophecy and destroy the jewel."

Kaede seemed confused. "But the jewel is fine," she countered. "Nothing bad has happened with it since it's been under your guardianship, so why would that change now?"

Kikyo sighed. "I don't think it's a coincidence that I would have that dream a mere few days before a string of youkai attacks, so I have to do something about it."

"Can I come with you?" Kaede asked immediately.

Kikyo shook her head, causing tears to form in Kaede's eyes.

Kikyo held her arms out, inviting Kaede into her embrace. Wrapping her sister in her arms, Kikyo hugged her tightly.

"I need you to take care of the garden," Kikyo said quietly, "Just until I get back, okay?"

Kaede shook her head against Kikyo's shoulder. "What about the creepy man in the cave? I don't like having to go see him.

Kikyo ran a comforting hand through her sister's hair. "The man is gone now, so you don't have to worry about him. I don't know what happened to him, but...well, he's gone. You'll be okay here Nori while I'm gone."

Kaede sniffled. "I don't want to stay without you."

Kikyo pulled away so she could look into Kaede's eyes. "You can do it," she encouraged. "I'll come back as soon as I can. I promise."

Eyes still sad, Kaede finally nodded. Kikyo hugged her tightly again, hoping that she would find a way to do it.

o.O.o

Kikyo departed the next day, leaving Kaede in the care of Nori, a townswoman with whom they were friends. It was a tearful goodbye, but Kikyo managed to retain her resolve and set out in the later part of the morning.

She'd asked around before leaving the town to see if anyone had heard about the nearest place she could find a youkai to speak to, but no one had.

There were whispers of the recent youkai attacks in each town she visited, and it seemed like the paranoia got worse each day she talked with people.

Kikyo decided to just start walking in the direction of one of the youkai clans nearby. Hoping to find a hanyo there, she set off with her resolve in mind.

As she walked, her thoughts wandered.

_Could it be dangerous?_ she wondered. _With all of these attacks, will peace be broken?_ Kikyo shook her head and scolded herself. _Don't think like that. Just because they're youkai doesn't mean they'll hurt me._

Kikyo's mind further drifted to her goal.

_Even if I find a hanyo,_ she realized _, how can I convince them to help me? How are we supposed to destroy the jewel?_

She had no clue.

There was no word of any hanyo throughout her travels to different youkai towns and clans. After nearly three weeks, Kikyo was ready to just go home. She'd had no success during her time away from her town, and she was starting to wonder if it was time to admit defeat.

She knew that the daiyoukai had a younger brother who was a hanyo, so she wondered if she should perhaps contact him. She didn't even know where the daiyoukai's castle was, though, so therein lay yet another problem she had.

_I'll figure it out if it comes down to that,_ she pondered. _I don't even know if he would listen to a human, but it might be possible._

Kikyo's last stop was a town on the southern coast of Japan, and after having no success there, she decided to just go home and figure out how to contact the daiyoukai.

She decided to walk to the shoreline to hopefully find a few shells for Kaede before making her way back home.

The sounds of waves crashing were oddly comforting as she slipped off her sandals and lifted her pant legs up. She walked into the water until it was up to her ankles. Looking up at the cloudy beach sky, she closed her eyes and breathed in the salty air.

"Are you enjoying the sea breeze?"

Kikyo jumped and opened her eyes, barely catching herself from falling into the water.

She looked around to find the source of the voice, but there was no one on the shore or around her.

It wasn't until she looked back out to the ocean that she saw a man smiling at her.

He was in water that would have been probably waist-deep on Kikyo, and he looked like he was either sitting or just very short.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he said apologetically. "It seems I've disrupted a peaceful moment. I'm sorry about that."

Kikyo shook her head. "It's alright," she replied. "I just figured I was alone out here."

The man inclined his head, his long, soaking wet ponytail slipping over his bare shoulder as he did so.

"Are you a miko?" he asked politely. Kikyo nodded.

"I am," she replied. "My clothing is a giveaway, right?"

He smiled. "Your aura is, too." Kikyo raised an eyebrow.

"You can read my aura?" she asked. "You must either be someone with spiritual powers or a youkai because I personally can't even sense your aura."

The man laughed. "I typically keep it suppressed."

All at once, Kikyo felt the man's powerful aura rush out of him. It was a fascinating aura, but what stuck out was the youkai tint.

"So you're a youkai," Kikyo stated. "Why would you keep it suppressed? A miko like myself wouldn't harm a youkai."

The man smiled. "I didn't want to startle you with my aura just swimming around in the water where you couldn't see me. Besides, with all the youkai attacks, I didn't want to scare you."

Kikyo couldn't help but smile back. "It would have been easier for me to detect your aura in the first place," she teased lightly. "I'm not afraid of youkai. You just wound up startling me with your greeting."

He inclined his head politely. "My apologies again." He motioned to where she was standing. "May I join you?"

Kikyo nodded, expecting him to walk toward her. Instead, he ducked back under the water. Kikyo frowned, wondering where he went.

A bright light came from under the water. The spot in which the man had submerged was glowing brightly, and Kikyo briefly wondered if he was going through some sort of transformation. She knew it was possible for some youkai, so she had a feeling he was some sort of water youkai.

When the man breached the water after the light had disappeared, he rose by several inches. He was still rather short, but the kind smile on his face distracted Kikyo from it.

Dressed in a simple white shirt and short black pants, the man made his way toward Kikyo until he was standing next to her.

He was a little shorter than her, only coming to the height of her nose, but he had a large presence. It was immediately soothing as Kikyo took in the sight of him up close.

His eyes were a bright sea-green, and his skin was tinted a similar color. His ponytail was long, reaching down past his waist, the unruly strands barely controlled. Kikyo wondered how much longer and wilder it would look when it was hanging free.

"I'm Kaito," he introduced. "What's your name?"

"Kikyo," she replied with an incline of her head. "What kind of youkai are you?"

Kaito began wringing the water out of his long ponytail. "Ningyo," he replied. "You caught me at the end of a swim."

Kikyo's eyes widened. "A swim?" she repeated. "So that light...it was you switching from the form you use to swim?" Kaito nodded.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I have a ningyo form. Tail and all."

_That's interesting,_ Kikyo mused. _I wish I'd been able to see it._

Kaito wrung the rest of the water from his hair as he set his eyes on Kikyo.

"So what brings you here?" he asked. "You're not quite dressed for a day at the beach." Kikyo blushed in embarrassment; she'd only expected a quick dip of her feet but she'd somehow wound up talking to a ningyo.

"I was making a quick stop on my way home," she replied. "I was just enjoying a moment in the water."

Kaito nodded, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "And how was it? Your moment in the water?"

Kikyo felt her heart skip a beat at the twinkle of laughter in his eyes, the color mimicking the glow of the green hues in the ocean around them. It took her a moment to form a coherent thought.

"It was nice," she finally replied. "I don't live near the coast, so this was a nice way to end a very long trip." She thought of Kaede and how eager she was to get home to her.

"I need to get back on the road, though," Kikyo said as she began to walk back to shore.

To her surprise, Kaito followed her, his movements as fluid as the water.

"How long have you been away?" he asked. Kikyo did her best to air dry her feet before slipping her sandals back on and picking up the shells she'd found for Kaede.

"About three weeks," she replied. "I have a little sister waiting for me, so I wanted to find some shells for her. The water was so beautiful. I got distracted."

Kaito laughed. "The sea tends to do that," he agreed. "Well, I certainly hope you have a nice trip home." Kikyo smiled.

"Thank you," she replied. His eyes were bright and friendly as he nodded in parting to her. He walked toward a small rock in the sand nearby before pulling out a bag from under it and slinging it over his shoulder. He waved a final time, his bare feet leaving footprints in the sand as he left.

Kikyo almost felt _sad_ that he was leaving. She sighed and turned to leave herself, but quickly realized he might know where she could find a hanyo.

"Kaito!" she called as she hurried to catch up with him. Kaito paused and turned around, walking back toward Kikyo to meet her halfway.

"What is it?" he asked. Kikyo resisted the urge to cross her fingers for luck.

"I'm searching for a hanyo," she explained. "Do you know the whereabouts of one?"

Kaito seemed a bit surprised by the question.

"I'm a hanyo," he replied. "What do you need?" Kikyo's eyes widened in overwhelming relief.

"You're a hanyo?" she repeated. "Really?" Kaito nodded.

"I am," he confirmed. "My mother was a ningyo and my father was a human."

_That explains why his aura was so unusual,_ Kikyo realized. _I'd never felt a hanyo's aura before but now I know._

"So, Kikyo," he continued, "what can I do for you?"

Kikyo took a deep breath. "Well, Kaito, I have quite the story for you."

O.o.O.o.O

When Kaito had gone out for a swim that day, he'd never expected to run into a miko, let alone a miko with a _prophecy_ that apparently involved him.

"So wait," he said after she'd explain everything to him. "You had a dream and since you're a miko and there have been some youkai attacks, you need to find a hanyo and destroy the Shikon Jewel? I've never even heard of that."

"We keep it a secret from the world," Kikyo explained. "I, my sister, and now you are the only ones that know about it."

Kaito shook his head. When he'd seen Kikyo with her feet in the water, looking so sad and so _beautiful_ , he didn't think _this_ would be the reason why.

"Okay, so now what?" he replied. "I'm happy to help, but what exactly do we need to do?" Kikyo frowned.

"Um, well," she stuttered, "I actually don't know...I was more focused on finding a hanyo than I was on figuring out what to do when I found one."

Kaito nodded. "Well, I'm a firm believer in destiny, so I'll help you." The look of pure relief on Kikyo's face made Kaito's heart clench.

_This woman...Kikyo...there's something about her…_

"Do you have the jewel with you?" Kaito asked. Kikyo nodded and pulled it out from under her shirt. It was secured on a necklace, so Kikyo pulled it off and handed it to him.

Kaito's eyes widened at the jewel in his hands. It felt _alive_ in his palm, and he could feel the power swirling around it.

"Wow," he breathed. "It feels like it has a heartbeat." The power in it was overwhelming; he handed it back to Kikyo, relieved when it was out of his possession.

He looked at her over the small fire they'd built; it had been approaching lunchtime when they began talking, so Kaito had offered to catch a few fish for them. Kikyo had started a fire and they enjoyed the meal together.

He didn't miss Kikyo's awestruck expression when she saw Kaito dive into the water. The glimpse of his tail obviously surprised her, but her gaze of admiration was set unabashedly on him. Kaito smiled as he caught the fish. _She's something else..._

But now, sitting across the fire from her, Kaito could see the heavy weight she had settled on her shoulders. As she returned the jewel to its spot around her neck, her mouth set into a frown and a troubled glint reflected in her eyes.

"I'll help however I can," Kaito assured her. "We can figure this out...together."

Kikyo's eyes widened, a small smile breaking onto her face.

"Thank you," she replied sincerely. "Would you like to return to my village with me? I'd like to get back to my sister, and we can make a plan on how to proceed with the jewel." Kaito nodded in agreement.

He was on his own, he had been for several years now, so he had just been floating from place to place. When he'd caught a hint of Kikyo's complex aura from where he was swimming, he was immediately drawn to her. Now he understood why.

Destiny.

As they set off for Kikyo's town, which was only about a two-hour walk away, Kaito asked about her sister.

"Kaede is thirteen," Kikyo explained as they walked. "She's good with a bow, but she still hasn't quite mastered it. She's getting there, though."

Kaito smiled. "You sound very proud of her." Kikyo hummed.

"I am," she replied, smiling back. "She's strong. Our parents died when she was very young, so she doesn't remember them."

"You must have been rather young yourself, then," Kaito observed. "You don't look much older than twenty."

"I'm eighteen," Kikyo corrected. "I look a bit older, though." Kaito nodded.

"Having to fulfill a parent's role as a child can age you quicker." Kikyo nodded seriously, but laughed a moment later.

"Are you saying I look _old?_ " she teased. Kaito chuckled.

"Of course not," he replied goodnaturedly. "I'm fairly old, though. I'm coming up on five-hundred." Kikyo's eyes widened.

"Five- _hundred?_ " she repeated. "Wow, you must have seen so much."

Kaito nodded. Hanyo were rather rare; aside from himself, Kaito only knew maybe two others not including the daiyoukai's younger brother. No one had heard from him in a long time, though. He'd departed from the castle one day and had apparently just never returned. Kaito couldn't even remember his name.

Speaking of hanyo…

"Why do you think the prophecy requires a miko and a hanyo?" Kaito asked.

Kikyo shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "The darkness in the prophecy…I think it's coming. Fights are starting to break out between humans and youkai, which is unheard of at this point in time. Things are changing, but I know that there is a reason for everything. We don't get to choose our destiny. We can only follow it and have faith that things will work out like they're supposed to. "

Kaito took a moment to look at her. The firm way she set her mouth after speaking stuck out to him. There was fear in her eyes, but it was vastly overpowered by determination.

_Destiny,_ Kaito thought to himself. _I believe it._

O.o.O.o.O

"Kikyo!"

Kaede's excited shriek rang in the air as she ran into Kikyo's arms.

"Hi, Kaede," Kikyo greeted as she hugged her sister. "I missed you."

Kaede hugged her tightly back for a moment until she noticed the stranger standing off to the side waiting for an introduction.

Kaede bowed politely. "Hello." Kaito bowed back.

"Hello," he greeted. "It's nice to meet you."

Kikyo put her arm around Kaede's shoulders. "Kaede, this is Kaito. He's a hanyo and he's going to help with the prophecy." Kaede's eyes widened as her gaze switched from Kaito to her sister.

"Wow! That's so great. I'm glad Kikyo was able to find you."

Kaito smiled. "I am, too. I'm hopeful we can accomplish our goal."

Kikyo nearly sagged with relief as they brought Kaito to their home. He was kind to Kaede and seemed more than willing to help Kikyo, if his agreement and subsequent journey to her home hadn't already proven that willingness.

They enjoyed a quick dinner in Kikyo's home as Kaede filled the elder miko in on what had happened while she was gone.

"Nori's baby had a cold," Kaede informed, "but I used the herbs you taught me about to make him feel better."

Kikyo smiled. "That's wonderful, Kaede. I'm so proud of you. It's hard to believe I was gone for three weeks...it's nice to be home."

As they finished their meal, Kikyo felt a twinge of nervousness in her stomach. Now that she'd found a hanyo, they would need to figure out how to proceed with the fulfillment of the prophecy.

After they finished dinner, Kaede offered to wash the dishes while Kikyo showed Kaito to their guest room.

"Make yourself at home," Kikyo said. "We can start planning tomorrow." Kaito set his bag on the floor by the bed and nodded.

"Thank you," he replied. His sea-green eyes were bright and curious, and Kikyo could practically _see_ the questions swarming his mind.

Kikyo hesitated before sitting down in a small chair in the quarter of the room.

"Um," Kikyo finally said, "do you have any burning questions I can answer tonight?"

Kaito laughed. "Is it that obvious?" Kikyo shrugged goodnaturedly.

"A little," she replied. "I'll try to answer as best I can."

Kaito looked at her for a few moments before speaking again.

"I'm more than willing to help however I can," he began, "but...well, do you have any idea of what this prophecy entails?" Kikyo sighed.

"Not really," she admitted. "I mentioned earlier that I've been more focused on finding a hanyo since the attacks have gotten worse, so now that I've found you, maybe we can figure things out together…?"

Kaito nodded, and Kikyo found herself in awe of him.

The fact that he was willing to help a perfect stranger, to pack up everything to go with her, told her a lot about him.

"Did I take you from a life somewhere?" Kikyo asked. "Do you have anyone waiting for you?"

Kaito shook his head. "No, it was just me. My parents were old in youkai years when I was born, so they've been dead for several decades. I've just kind of been wandering. You know, looking for the best places to swim, best fish to eat, all that ningyo stuff."

Kikyo smiled. "Right. Well, we're not close to the ocean but we do have a few rivers. Maybe you'll find swimming in them to be enjoyable, too."

Kaito smiled back. "Water is water." Kikyo laughed and stood up.

"Well, I'll give you some time to get settled," she said as she started to make her way to the door. "I think we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow so we'll both need some rest. Good night, Kaito."

"You can call me Kai," Kaito replied before she could leave. "It's what my family called me, and since we're going to be spending a lot of time together, well, maybe…"

Kikyo smiled. "Good night then, Kai." The ningyo held her gaze for a moment, a small smile coming to his face.

"Good night, Kikyo."

o.O.o

When Kikyo woke up the next morning, she lay in bed for a few extra minutes. Glancing at the window, she noticed it was barely dawn; the sun was just starting to creep over the horizon.

She sighed and tried to think about how they would proceed with the day.

Rolling over, she pulled the pillow over her face. _Breakfast first._

Kikyo made a simple meal of scrambled eggs and diced fruit. She set three place settings for herself, Kaede, and Kai.

The ningyo entered the kitchen first, his hair long and loose. Kikyo couldn't help but notice how _wild_ it was. He was combing his fingers through it, but that just seemed to make it even messier. It hit the back of his knees, swishing as he walked. Kikyo figured it was due to his short stature, but even so, it was remarkably long.

Kai obviously caught her staring. "Curse of the ningyo," he said. "Being short and incapable of escaping beach hair." Kikyo laughed.

"I didn't mean to stare," she admitted. "It's just so long." Kai took a thick ribbon out of his pocket and began to tie it up.

"I could cut it five times a day," he began, "and it would just grow right back." He expertly got his hair completely up out of his face and managed to get it all up in a ponytail. It was still rather wild as it trailed all the way down to past his waist, but it was at least out of his face.

"It's lovely," Kikyo complimented. Kai looked at her, surprise on his face. Kikyo blushed, realizing what she'd said. _Could I be any more embarrassing?_

Kai opened his mouth to respond but was cut off when they were joined in the kitchen.

"Good morning," Kaede greeted. "What's for breakfast?" Kikyo took advantage of the distraction and began to serve the food.

"Eggs and fruit," Kikyo replied as she loaded up their plates.

"Itadakimasu," Kai said once Kikyo was seated and they were all ready to eat.

Kaede hummed in satisfaction after her first bite of eggs. "Yum. So, Kikyo, what are you guys going to do first?"

Kikyo exchanged a glance with Kai.

"We're not sure yet," she explained. "Maybe you could go play with some of your friends while we work on the jewel." Kaede nodded excitedly.

Kikyo tried to hide her unease. _It's going to be a long day._

O.o.O.o.O

Kai could tell that Kikyo was starting to get frustrated.

She was good at hiding it, but the deep frown on her face was a giveaway.

"Maybe we should take a break," Kai suggested after they'd been at it for a solid three hours. "We can come back to it in a little while."

Kikyo hesitated, but finally nodded.

Kai followed her back to the house, trying to think of what he could say to comfort her.

When they began that morning, Kikyo suggested they start with meditating. After an hour of that, nothing happened.

Every suggestion they came up with had failed, from meditating to praying to just focusing on the jewel itself.

Nothing worked.

The last thing they tried was clutching the jewel in both of their hands and seeing what would happen.

Kai couldn't ignore the warmth he felt when he held Kikyo's hands in his. He wondered if she felt it, too: an unexplainable pull tugging him toward her.

Kai had suggested taking a break soon after, figuring it would be good for both of them.

He sighed and stood up from the table, deciding to make lunch. It would probably take a load off of Kikyo, so he decided to make a traditional ningyo meal.

"What are you doing?" Kikyo asked as Kai went about his task after they entered the house.

Kai rummaged around in the cabinets until he found the necessary spices. He also found some dried fish, which was exactly what he needed.

"Making lunch," he replied as he started preparing the food right away, using lettuce instead of seaweed to create the fish wraps.

"You don't have to do that," Kikyo argued. "You're a guest here."

Kai waved off her concern. "It's the least I could do," he replied as he finished the final few wraps. "It's a classic ningyo dish. It just won't have the authentic ocean flavor or seaweed, but it's as similar as it could get. Besides, it's very easy."

It only took him about ten minutes to finish the meal, and even he had to congratulate himself on a job well done.

"Wow!" Kikyo exclaimed as she approached to peer over his shoulder. "Thank you, Kai. It looks amazing."

Kai sprinkled a final spice over the last wrap and wiped his hands on a napkin. "Finished. Why don't you sit down, Kikyo? I'll bring it to you."

Kikyo smiled and nodded before walking over to the table. Kai grabbed two plates from the cabinet and put two wraps on each before bringing the plates to the table. He set one in front of Kikyo before sitting in the chair across from her.

"Itadakimasu," Kikyo said before taking a bite. She chewed for a moment, her eyes widening as she swallowed. "This is _delicious_."

Kai laughed. "I'm glad you like it. My mother brought her ningyo recipes with her when she married my father and started her life with him on land."

Kikyo seemed to love the meal immensely; her eyes were bright with enjoyment as she ate.

When they finished eating, she sighed contentedly.

"That meal makes me wish I were a ningyo," she said. "Then I could have grown up with that kind of food." Kai laughed.

"I made extra for Kaede," he replied. "I wrapped them up for her to eat later." He thought for a moment. "How about I cook meals from now on? I have plenty of recipes, and I would like to be able to repay you for your hospitality."

Kikyo paused and looked at him. "You don't have to," she said seriously. "I dragged you here...I'm throwing you into something very unexpected."

Kai shook his head. "I was just wandering around, Kikyo. I didn't really know what to do, so now that I have a purpose, a very _important_ purpose, I'm happy. I know it'll be hard, but destiny is destiny, so I'm not afraid. I'm not resentful."

Kikyo's eyes widened, and Kai could tell she hadn't been expecting that response.

He wanted to assure her that he _wanted_ to be there, that he wanted to be near her and get to know her better.

_There's just something about her...I can't explain it. I just want to be by her side._

"Thank you, Kai," she said sincerely. "I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate that. Let's compromise, though...you can cook a few times a week if you _really_ want to."

Kai smiled. "That sounds good to me."

They were quiet for a few moments before Kikyo sighed.

"Well," she began as she stood up and gathered their dishes, "we should probably get back to it, if that's okay with you." Kai nodded.

She set the dishes in the sink before leading him back outside to give it another go with the jewel.

O.o.O.o.O

Kikyo and Kai spent the better part of two weeks trying and failing to get rid of the jewel.

They just couldn't figure it out.

A little over two weeks since Kikyo found Kai, she was ready to give up. She never would, but she certainly _wanted_ to.

Kikyo was resilient and strong, but this was starting to be too much for her.

She plopped back on the ground and groaned. "Why isn't anything working? We've tried everything! There have been more youkai attacks, too. I feel like we're running out of time." She flopped onto her back and settled her arm over her eyes to block out the fading sunshine.

She heard Kai sit next to her on the ground as he breathed his own sigh. "Now what?" he asked. "What else can we do?"

Kikyo shook her head. "I don't know...I'm sorry."

"Maybe we should stop for today," Kai suggested gently. "We can rest a little and then try again tomorrow." Kikyo moved the arm from her eyes and set it at her side.

"Okay," she conceded. "This is just so _frustrating_. I'm a failure at this prophecy stuff."

When Kai took her hand after she'd moved it from her face, her eyes widened as she turned her gaze to his.

"Kikyo," he began seriously, "I've been here for over two weeks helping you with the jewel, but I've also spent over two weeks getting to know you. You're not a failure. You're strong and smart. We can do this."

Kikyo looked at him for a moment before squeezing his hand. "Thank you."

Kai smiled down at her. "Your heart is pure, Kikyo. That's how I know you can do this."

Kikyo sat up slowly, her eyes never leaving Kai's. His sea-green eyes had gone serious, the smile on his face turning into soft determination.

His hand came up to touch her cheek as Kikyo leaned her face into his palm. He began to move closer, closer, until his words struck Kikyo again.

"Pure!" she said suddenly. Kai dropped his hand in surprise at her outburst.

"What?" he asked. Kikyo smiled brightly.

"Pure," she repeated. "We need to completely _purify_ the jewel! I purify it each night to keep it untainted, but I've never tried to actually purify it out of _existence_. I don't think I would even be able to do that alone. But with you...maybe we could do it together."

Kai's eyes widened. "You're right. That makes perfect sense."

Kikyo threw herself into his arms, knocking him back on the ground.

"Thank you so much, Kai," she murmured. "There's no one else I would rather do this with…" Kai wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. Kikyo blushed but hugged him tightly back.

He smelled like the ocean on the warmest summer day; Kikyo breathed him in, her heart swelling at the feel of his body against hers.

After a moment, she sat up a bit to hover over him. Kai smiled up at her, his eyes twinkling before he pulled her back down.

Kikyo sighed as he kissed her, relishing in the feel of his lips caressing hers so gently.

He tasted like the ocean in the most pleasant way Kikyo could ever imagine, and she felt a sudden desire to kiss him over and over again until she had no breath left and it felt like she'd drown in him.

Kai seemed to have the same idea, for his hand came up to gently cup the back of her head, effectively deepening the kiss as his other arm wrapped around her waist.

Kikyo kissed him as long as she could before she finally had to stop and take a breath. Kai moved his hand to her cheek and gently ran his thumb over her skin before pulling her back down into his embrace.

Kikyo buried her face in the crook of his neck, grateful for at least this one moment of peace.

**End of Part I.**


	19. Back to the Beginning: Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: violence, injuries, emotional turmoil

**Chapter 19: Back to the Beginning, Part II**

Kai was cooking breakfast in the kitchen when familiar arms wrapped around him from behind.

"Hi," Kikyo murmured against the skin of his neck. She stood a few inches taller than him, but it never seemed to disrupt the kisses they shared the previous evening.

"Hi," he replied as he turned his head to kiss her quickly. "I hope you're hungry." Kikyo hummed and pressed one more kiss against his neck before grabbing plates and forks.

As Kai finished cooking, he wondered if Kikyo had anything specific in mind for their new goal of purifying the jewel, but he figured it could wait until after breakfast.

Kikyo quickly set the table before going to wake up Kaede to start the day, leaving Kai in the kitchen alone for a few moments.

Kaede entered the kitchen by herself, greeting Kai as she sat down at the table.

"Kikyo's in the bathroom," Kaede informed before yawning. "She'll be out in a minute."

Kai brought the plate of freshly-cooked food to the table and set it in the middle. "We'll eat when she gets back in here," he said.

Kaede licked her lips. "That looks great, Kai," she exclaimed. "It's so nice to get to have breakfast every morning without Kikyo having to run off right after." Kai was confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Kaede almost seemed to shudder.

"There used to be an injured man in a cave outside of town," she explained. "Kikyo found him one day and used to take him food and water every morning. Sometimes I would have to do it, and it was terrible. He was so creepy."

Kai frowned. "Did he harm you?" Kaede shook her head.

"No," she replied. "He was always too injured to move. All you could see were his eyes...it was scary. I'm glad he's gone now."

"When did he leave?" Kai asked. Kaede shrugged.

"Before Kikyo left to find you," she replied. "He just...disappeared. She went one morning a few days before she left and he was gone. That was it."

There was something odd about that situation; it didn't sit right with Kai.

_Why do I feel like there's something off about that?_ he wondered. _Something...significant._

"Thanks for waiting," Kikyo said as she entered the kitchen. "Are you all ready to eat?"

Kaede nodded excitedly before piling food on her plate.

Kikyo gave Kai a concerned look, picking up on his unease. He smiled reassuringly at her and picked up a serving spoon to start putting food on her plate.

"Itadakimasu," she said as usual.

After breakfast, Kaede offered to wash the dishes. Kikyo turned to Kai after smiling her gratitude at Kaede.

"Are you ready to get back to work?" Kikyo asked Kai. The ningyo nodded, but couldn't help the clench in his stomach. He had some ideas of his own on how to purify the jewel, but he was uncertain of just how much he wanted to do it.

_It's for the good of the world,_ he reminded himself. _We all have to make sacrifices._

Shortly after, Kikyo and Kai went to their usual place in the forest to work with the jewel.

"So," Kai began when they sat down in the grass, "do you have any ideas on how to completely purify the jewel?"

Kikyo smiled and nodded. "Yes. I think if I try to purify it like usual, we should be able to take it a step further. If you focus your youkai aura into the jewel as I focus my spiritual power during the purification process, that should work."

Kai nodded as Kikyo removed the jewel from around her neck. She pulled out a few holy items from inside her kimono. Once she'd put the items around the jewel, she put her hands together and began the purification ritual.

After a few moments, she nodded at Kai. "Okay, go ahead and channel your youkai aura into the jewel."

Kai did as she said and soon felt the immense power of their combined auras surrounding the jewel.

"It's working!" Kikyo exclaimed as she added a little more power. Kai's eyes widened as the jewel began to glow brightly.

_She's right! It's working!_

Then all at once, their power dissolved and the jewel's light disappeared.

"What happened?" Kai asked. Kikyo huffed.

"It didn't work," she replied. "We have to do it another way...but I don't know how else." Her shoulders sagged, her aura radiating defeat.

Kai hesitated, but finally took her hand.

"I have an idea," he said. "I think it'll work." Kikyo looked up at him, eyes hopeful.

"What is it?" she asked. Kai bit his lip.

"Well," he began, "what if we somehow managed to purify the jewel by _using_ it?" Kikyo seemed confused.

"The jewel is only used for power," Kikyo countered. "It can be used for a wish, but only the _correct_ wish. I've never heard of anyone using it, let alone using it for a purification."

Kai shook his head. "We could use it to purify my youkai half. It could purify my human aura of my youkai aura, and once it's purified, the jewel might cease to exist."

Kikyo's eyes widened. "What? No, Kai, we can't do that. That's asking you to give up half of who you are. We can't."

Kai shook his head and reached out to cup Kikyo's cheeks in his hands.

"This is a sacrifice I'm willing to make," he assured her gently. "If it means saving the world from darkness, I _want_ to."

Kikyo didn't speak for a moment; she just looked at him in awe.

"Kai," she began, "if you're sure you want to take that risk, then we can try. But only if you're _absolutely_ certain." Kai nodded. He'd been thinking about it since Kikyo had suggested the purification idea. He was certain.

Kikyo looked at him a moment more before clutching the jewel tightly in her hands.

"Okay," she accepted as she circled her hands over the jewel. "Put your hands over mine." Kai nodded and did as she said.

Kikyo closed her eyes for a moment as she focused her power on the jewel.

The jewel's power erupted and surrounded them, a bright light glowing from the small orb.

Kai closed his eyes, waiting for his youkai power to be pulled from his body.

As quickly as the light had come, it was disappearing and Kikyo was shrieking in pain.

She dropped the jewel to the ground and clutched her hands to her chest. Kai smelled the salty scent of tears coming from her.

"Kikyo?" he said, his tone leaking worry as he reached out to touch her shoulders. "What happened?"

Kikyo looked up and held out her hands for him to see.

Thick burns covered her palms where she'd been holding the jewel.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Kikyo nodded.

"The burns aren't that bad," she replied. "But you're still youkai and the jewel is still here...this means it didn't work. The jewel rejected our auras. We can't purify it."

Kai's eyes widened. "What? Why?"

Kikyo shook her head. "I think...I think it means we're not the ones from the prophecy."

Kai frowned. "Then why would the prophecy come to you if you're not the miko from it?" Kikyo sighed.

"I don't know," she confessed. "None of this makes any sense." They fell into silence for a moment as Kikyo's words sank in.

_Maybe she's right,_ Kai realized. _Maybe we_ aren't _the ones from the prophecy._

"Maybe it came to you," Kai began, "because you'll meet the miko and the hanyo from the prophecy. Maybe they aren't meant to hear it because they haven't met you yet." Kikyo wiped her eyes and looked at him.

"You really think so?" she asked hopefully. Kai nodded.

"Yes," he assured her. "I really do."

They were quiet for a moment until Kikyo spoke again.

"So...what will you do now?" Her voice sounded uncertain and almost... _nervous_.

Kai looked at her, knowing full well he didn't want to leave her, but...would it be okay if he said that?

When her blue eyes locked with his green ones, Kai knew he _couldn't_ leave her.

Kai reached out and took her hands gently, being mindful of the burns on her palms.

"Kikyo," he began, "we're not the ones from the prophecy. We can't get rid of the jewel, but…I don't want to be apart from you." Kikyo's eyes widened.

"Really?" she asked hopefully. "I don't want to be apart from you either."

Kai smiled. "We've spent every day together for the last two weeks, and that's all it took for me to fall in love with you. I can't imagine ever meeting anyone I love as much as you, Kikyo."

"You love me?" Kikyo asked in a wavering voice. At Kai's affirmative nod, Kikyo finally smiled. "I love you, too."

"Is it too soon to ask you to marry me?" Kai blurted.

Kikyo's jaw dropped.

o.O.o

Kikyo and Kai were married a week later.

It was fast and sudden, but Kai found he didn't care. _I'm not one to question destiny..._

The day after the wedding, Kai got a letter prepared.

"What are you doing, husband?" Kikyo asked from where she was still curled up in their bed.

"I have to send a letter to the daiyoukai, wife," he replied with a smile. "He always needs to know when a youkai gets married for the census records."

Kikyo got up and began to get dressed as Kai explained.

"I see," she replied. "Even though I'm a human?" Kai nodded.

"Yes," he explained. "Lord Sesshomaru will come to meet us and get our names, the date of our marriage, and a portrait. It's customary for youkai."

Kikyo smiled as she pulled on her miko clothing. "What's the daiyoukai like? Is he scary?"

Kai laughed. "He's a little daunting at first, but once you get used to his rather standoffish demeanor, he's not so bad. All youkai have met him at some point or another. When he took over as daiyoukai after his father, he made a point to meet with each youkai clan throughout the country."

"He sounds nice," Kikyo commented as she finished getting dressed. "I'm looking forward to meeting him."

"He has a half-brother, too," Kai added. "I doubt he'll be with him, though. He disappeared a while back and apparently hasn't been at the castle recently so no one knows where he is. I don't even remember what his name is."

Kikyo hummed. "Well, I'll be pleased to meet the daiyoukai." She paused. "Do you think he'll still come despite the attacks?" There had been several more attacks, and tensions were starting to rise between humans and youkai. Fighting had begun, and Kikyo wondered if they would be faced with an all-out war sooner rather than later.

"Yes," Kai affirmed. "Lord Sesshomaru will still come. We should tell him about the prophecy when he arrives."

Kikyo hesitated, but nodded. "Okay," she replied. "We'll fill him in."

o.O.o

The daiyoukai arrived a week later, and Kai could tell that Kikyo was in sheer awe of him.

Sesshomaru remained in the nearby forest with a few of his noblemen. Kai figured he would avoid the town, so he'd been expecting to meet him in the forest.

When Kai led Kikyo to him, his wife had barely been able to stifle a gasp.

"Hello, my lord," Kai greeted politely as he bowed to Sesshomaru. Kikyo bowed as well.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence," she added.

Sesshomaru didn't speak; instead, he just looked at Kikyo. Kai frowned, uncertain of his intense gaze.

"You are Kikyo," Sesshomaru finally said. Kikyo's eyes widened.

"Um, yes, I am," she replied. "Have we...have we met? I'm most certain I would remember you."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "The prophecy came to me in a recent dream. Have you all been able to accomplish it?"

"No, my lord," Kikyo replied, surprised. "I found Kaito shortly after the youkai attacks began and we gave every attempt to fulfill it, but nothing worked for us. We came to the conclusion that we are not the miko and the hanyo from the prophecy. We believe that we are meant to bring guidance to the destined miko and hanyo, but we know it is not us."

Sesshomaru hummed. "I see. Well, I wish you luck in finding the correct pair. As for right now, I need to add your marriage to the youkai records."

One of his noblemen provided a paper to Kikyo and Kai for them to sign and date.

"I would ask that you be still for a few moments," the nobleman said. "I must paint a quick portrait. You may stand as you would like."

Kai came to stand slightly behind Kikyo, his arms wrapped around her waist. It only took about five minutes for the nobleman to finish. He quickly wrote their names and wedding date on the bottom before holding it up to show them.

"That looks wonderful," Kikyo said. Kai nodded his agreement.

"Thank you, my lord," the ningyo said.

Sesshomaru paused for a moment. "Do you know of anyone else that could be from the prophecy?" he asked. "Perhaps another miko and another hanyo?"

Kikyo shook her head. "I have a sister, but she's only thirteen, my lord. She is not a fully-trained miko yet. There are others, but..."

The daiyoukai nodded. "But you were given the prophecy," he finished for her. "I agree with you, miko. You must have some sort of relationship with the miko and hanyo from the prophecy, but as of right now, perhaps you should begin some sort of search. We are running out of time."

Kai frowned. "Are the attacks that bad?" Sesshomaru nodded.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I have been unable to find the youkai responsible. We are on the brink of an all-out war between humans and youkai, and I fear the darkness from the prophecy is now upon us. Humans are attacking youkai almost on the spot simply because they are youkai. It has all gotten to be very bad."

Kai saw Kikyo wince at the difficult news.

"What can we do?" Kai asked. "Can we help somehow?" Sesshomaru paused for a moment.

"Not currently," he replied. "Once we track down the youkai responsible, I will inform you. Until then, enjoy your new marriage for a little while. I will be in touch. Soon, I believe."

Kikyo and Kai nodded before bidding Sesshomaru goodbye.

When the daiyoukai and his noblemen were gone, Kikyo turned to Kai.

"I'm worried," she admitted. "Something isn't adding up. I think if there's fighting going on, we need to be there and help bring peace back. Even if _we_ can't fulfill the prophecy, we can still help until we find who can."

Kai nodded. "When do you want to leave?" Kikyo hesitated.

"I don't know," she replied. "I don't want to just up and leave Kaede...I'll need to make arrangements for where she'll stay. We don't know how long we could be gone, and I need to prepare her for that. I know Lord Sesshomaru said we could wait for him to contact us, but..."

Kai wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I understand. It kind of feels like we'd be abandoning something important, right?" At Kikyo's nod, Kai sighed. "I feel that way, too. But we'll do what we can. We might even find the miko and the hanyo from the prophecy. That's very possible. We'll leave when Kaede is settled, okay?"

Resolve set, they stayed in the forest a while longer, wrapped in each other's arms.

O.o.O.o.O

They stayed in the town only one week more.

It took a week to get everything prepared for their departure. Kaede was heartbroken, which Kikyo had known would happen.

On the day she and Kai left, Kikyo held Kaede close to her, unable to keep the tears from falling.

"I love you, Kaede," she murmured. "I'll see you soon."

Kaede cried into her chest. "I love you, sister. Don't get hurt while you're gone, okay?"

Kai hugged Kaede quickly before he and Kikyo left the town.

Kikyo had to wipe her eyes every so often, the sorrow of leaving Kaede leaving her heart ragged. Kai took her hand as they walked and held it tightly, lending her silent support through his touch.

"Where should we go first?" he asked gently.

Kikyo wiped her eyes a final time, mentally telling herself to get it together.

"Let's look at previous attack sites," she suggested. "Maybe we can find some clues."

o.O.o

They traveled for two months, tracking different youkai attacks and trying to bring peace to troubled areas.

They learned that humans had managed to develop new weapons that easily overpowered youkai, so Kai had to be extra careful as they travelled. Kikyo loved how he looked, but his youkai features were too prominent to ignore.

Blue skin and webbed hands weren't exactly common in humans.

Kikyo tried her hardest to end the fighting wherever they went, but they were having very little luck. The connections between humans and youkai were becoming very strained, and they soon began to find more youkai carcasses than human corpses.

_The humans are winning these fights,_ Kikyo realized at one of the attack sites. _What will happen to the youkai when all this fighting is over?_

Humans had begun instigating fights with youkai rather than solely defending from the attacks, so there was constant fighting whenever their paths crossed. It was unsettling, and Kikyo could barely sleep at night for fear that they would be ambushed and her husband would be taken.

During their third month of travel, Kikyo fell ill. She suspected what it could be, but wasn't entirely certain.

But when she vomited soon after waking up for the seventh day in a row, she and Kai knew her suspicions were true.

Although it was a dangerous and terrifying time, Kikyo and Kai were overjoyed at the pregnancy.

Months passed with little success at dissolving the conflict or finding the pair from the prophecy. Kikyo's pregnancy soon made it too difficult to travel, so they decided to return home.

Kaede was ecstatic that they were home, and she was even happier to find out Kikyo was pregnant.

Kikyo spent the first night back curled up with Kaede in the younger girl's bed. Kaede ran her hand over Kikyo's swollen stomach and smiled.

"Do you have a name yet?" she asked. Kikyo shook her head and set her hand over Kaede's.

"We're waiting until the baby is born," Kikyo replied. "Mother and Father waited to name you and me until we were born, so that's what Kai and I have decided to do."

Kaede snuggled closer to Kikyo and nodded. "Sounds good to me."

The happiness of the pregnancy soon became overpowered by the increasing amount of youkai attacks as well as human and youkai battles.

Kikyo was soon bed-ridden, the pregnancy taking a toll on her body as it joined the ever-present concern about the world around them.

Kai was by her side the whole time, constantly reassuring her that, somehow, things would be okay.

When Kikyo's water broke, Kai sent Kaede for the town's midwife, whom they'd known before the youkai attacks had gotten bad and was accepting of Kai, before he settled Kikyo on the mat they'd laid out on the floor of their bedroom. He gathered all of the necessary items, enacting the birthing plan they'd made weeks earlier.

The midwife arrived in time for a safe delivery, and at the newborn's first cries, tears streamed down Kikyo's cheeks, already loving the child more than her own life.

Kai carefully took the baby from the midwife before bringing her over to rest in Kikyo's arms.

The baby cried, her blue eyes squeezed shut as she wailed against Kikyo.

"She has your hair, Kai," Kikyo said in awe. The baby already had a full head of hair that was sticking out every which way, and Kikyo could tell it wasn't just from the afterbirth.

"I told you it's the ningyo curse," Kai replied as he kissed Kikyo's forehead. "You were amazing, my love. She's beautiful."

The midwife smiled at the family as she cleaned up. "Do you all have a name?"

Kai looked at Kikyo expectantly, silently asking if she had a name picked out.

Kikyo looked down at the newborn, admiring the way the child's blue eyes were already so full of life, so full of the intricacies of whatever her destiny would wind up being.

"Kagome," Kikyo murmured. "Her name is Kagome."

Kai wrapped his arms around them and smiled. "Our little Kagome," he repeated.

o.O.o

As the days went by, Kikyo began to feel more and more guilty. As she enjoyed watching Kagome smile for the first time or be hugged by her Aunt Kaede, a dread settled in Kikyo's heart as well.

"We need to get back out there," Kikyo whispered to Kai one night as she was burping Kagome after nursing. "Things are getting worse, and I just...I feel like we need to go back and help."

Kai nodded. "I've been thinking the same thing. But we have Kagome now and...I don't think I can bear to leave her alone yet."

Kikyo curled up closer to Kai as they lay in their bed. "Me neither."

"We tried our best, my darling," Kai said quietly. "Our lives have changed drastically so maybe it's time we stop. We fought as best as we could, _tried_ as hard as we could, but in the end, maybe we just weren't meant to do it."

They were quiet for a moment until Kagome started to fuss.

"Shh, baby," Kikyo comforted quietly. "It's okay." Kai gently ran his hand over Kagome's head, further messing up the wild hair she already had.

Kai began to sing, his voice soft and clear as he sang the first notes of a lullaby.

" _By the light of the moon we sing,_

_Our eyes dark but our quiet voices ring._

_I hold you close and you do the same,_

_Your voice is soft as you whisper my name._

_That stars shine brightly above us,_

_Beckoning us quietly,_

_darling, so hush._

_I'll be here in the morning,_

_Holding you close in the warming_

_Embrace of my arms._

_For I am yours,_

_And you are mine."_

Kagome was fast asleep when Kai finished singing.

"That was beautiful," Kikyo murmured. Kai smiled at her.

"It's an old youkai lullaby," he replied. "My parents sang it to me when I was a child."

Kikyo leaned her head against his chest. "It's lovely." Kai kissed the top of her head.

They were quiet for the rest of the night.

O.o.O.o.O

Two years later, the fighting had turned into an all-out war.

Sesshomaru had sent official letters out to every remaining youkai officially mandating them to go into hiding. The world had become too dangerous, the humans had become too strong, and the youkai population had dwindled down too much.

Kagome had just taken her first steps when they received the mandate from one of Sesshomaru's guards.

"I need to go," Kikyo said immediately. "I have to go back and do what I can to help end this war."

Kai set a hand on her shoulder. "I'll go with you. We'll do this together."

Kikyo shook her head. "You and Kagome have to stay in hiding. This town is safe for you to stay in because very few townspeople know your heritage. Follow Lord Sesshomaru's mandate and just keep in the house. Stay _safe_."

"I don't want you to go!" Kaede argued. Kikyo sighed and walked over to hug Kaede tightly.

"Everything will be okay," Kikyo said. "You'll stay here with Kai and Kagome, alright?"

Kaede immediately began to argue, but Kikyo could only shake her head.

"Kaede," she cut in, "we _need_ to do this to keep safe, okay?" She turned to Kai. "Okay?" Kai looked away from her but nodded, setting his gaze on Kagome.

"Mama?" Kagome babbled as she teetered over to Kikyo. Kikyo smiled down at her and picked her up. She planted a kiss on her head before nodding firmly at Kai.

Kai just looked away. He hated everything about this plan.

But it was still time to move.

O.o.O.o.O

Kikyo prepared her things to leave the next day. It was a quiet and somber affair as she packed up the last of her things.

Kaede was in Kikyo's room with her, just watching as the older miko gathered everything into a bag. Kikyo kept the jewel on its chain around her neck, tucked carefully under her haori.

Kikyo was planning to leave that night, choosing to travel under the cover of night to stay inconspicuous as she sought out any youkai she could help.

And if she were being honest, she wanted to be able to tuck Kagome into bed one more time before she left.

When the time came, Kikyo had to choke back her tears as she settled the covers over Kagome as she lay in her bed.

"Good night, Kagome," Kikyo said as she kissed the top of the child's head. "I'll see you when I get home."

Kagome wrapped her arms around Kikyo's neck, keeping her close. "Mama won't be home in the morning?" Kikyo lay down in Kagome's bed next to her, hugging her tightly.

"No, baby," Kikyo replied. "I don't know when I'll be home. Some people really need my help, so I'll be home when things are safe."

Kagome sniffled. "I don't want Mama to leave. Stay with Kagome?"

The miko couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. "I'll be home as soon as I can. I promise." Kikyo hugged Kagome tightly a moment more before kissing her cheek and getting up.

"I love you, Kagome," Kikyo said, her heart clenching. "I'll see you when I get home."

Kagome settled herself under the blanket and closed her eyes. "I love you, too, Mama. See you when you get home." Her breathing evened out a moment later, her face softening in slumber.

Kikyo smiled once more at the child before wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Good night, baby."

Kikyo left the room and tried to pull herself together before walking to the living room where Kai and Kaede were waiting.

"Kagome's asleep," she announced quietly. "I should go now."

Kaede got up from the couch, a sob escaping her mouth as she ran into Kikyo's arms.

Kikyo wrapped her in a tight embrace as she lay her cheek on the top of Kaede's head.

"I love you, Kaede," Kikyo murmured. "I'm proud of you. Keep practicing your archery while I'm gone, okay? I want to see how much you've improved when I get home." Kaede nodded.

"I love you, Kikyo," she said as she pulled away. "Be safe."

Kikyo smiled at her once more before turning to Kai.

Her husband's eyes were filled with sorrow, the dread of the Kikyo leaving weighing heavily on him.

He raised his arms as Kikyo walked immediately into his waiting embrace.

"I love you, Kaito, my Kai," she murmured in his ear. "Meeting you...having Kagome...I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Kai pulled back to look up into her eyes. "I love you, my darling. I love you so much." He pulled her down to kiss her, his sadness evident in the contact.

When they pulled away, Kikyo leaned her forehead against Kai's before letting go.

It was a somber affair, having to say goodbye to them. Kikyo knew how dangerous it could be, especially with the ever-increasing tensions between humans and youkai.

_I just need to be brave...I have to do my part in ending this war._

After the absolute bliss she'd had with her small family, Kikyo was going to miss the togetherness she got to have every day.

She left soon after, turning back once to wave at Kai and Kaede as they watched from the front door of the house.

Kikyo wiped the last of her tears away and prepared herself for the journey.

The miko had only been walking for ten minutes when she heard a loud boom from behind her.

Turning around, she found a massive youkai, lumbering at the size of two large houses with dozens of tentacles shooting form its body.

Its eyes were locked on Kikyo as it stomped toward her.

Eyes wide, Kikyo grabbed an arrow from her quiver and sent it flying, but it didn't do much to slow it down.

"Finally," he hissed. "I've found you." Kikyo frowned as she nocked another arrow.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want with me?"

The youkai laughed. "You mean you don't recognize me?" he taunted. "Well, it's been a few years, so let me jog your memory."

In a flash, the youkai had transformed into a smaller version of itself. It lay on the ground in the size of a human, with bandages wrapped all over its body.

Kikyo gasped. "You're the injured man from the cave."

"I am Naraku," the youkai announced as it transformed back into its larger form. "Once Onigumo, the foolish human that desired you as his own. I have been trying to come to you, but with all of these demons in my mind, it was quite tricky to get them to focus on finding you rather than destroying everything in their wake. "

Kikyo's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

Naraku moved closer to her, his red eyes blinking slowly.

"That fool Onigumo," he began, "sold his soul to some restless youkai. He wanted power, a body, and _you_. After the soul belonged to the new horde of youkai, I was taken over by their will. They were vengeful, some of the few youkai with such negative feelings toward humans, and we became one, destroying whatever lay in our way." He laughed. "Now we've finally managed to make it to you. What an absolute _joy._ Your ningyo husband can't save you now, but don't worry. I'll be after him next."

Kikyo's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at the disgusting youkai. She couldn't believe Naraku was once the injured man she'd helped.

"So you started the war?" Kikyo asked. Naraku nodded and brought two of his tentacles up to his face before morphing them into sharp claws.

"Indeed," he replied. "Again, that was not my intention, but the youkai in my body were antsy, so they did what they needed." He smiled evilly. "No matter. I'm here now. I've been watching you, Kikyo, and I want to kill you and I want the jewel. Even from where I was physically with the youkai, my eyes have always been on you. I've seen you fight, seen you become a mother, seen you try to carry out the prophecy. You're not the miko from the prophecy, but your daughter…" He smirked. "Well, I will be paying her a visit once I've killed you and your husband. Can't have any loose ends I'll need to tie up later, right?"

"Why are you doing this?" Kikyo asked. "I helped you! Why would you want to kill me and my family?"

Naraku laughed. "I can never have you, Kikyo, and if I can't have you…" The mirth disappeared from his face. "...no one can."

He lunged one of his sharp tentacles at her, catching her on her shoulder before she could duck away. Kikyo hissed in pain and clutched the ripped skin, her hand growing warm with blood.

"Kikyo!"

Kikyo looked up to see Kaede running toward her, a shawl in her hand and a look of pure terror on her face.

"Kaede, run!" she screamed. "Go home!"

Kaede didn't run; instead, she ran straight toward Kikyo and grabbed her bow, quickly nocking an arrow.

"I'm not leaving you, Kikyo!" The young miko released the arrow, but Naraku moved too quickly.

Before Kaede could react, Naraku caught her arrow out of the air and threw it back at Kaede.

The arrow hit her straight in the eye, lodging itself and knocking Kaede down. She screamed in pain.

"Kaede, no!" Kikyo shouted before glaring at Naraku. "Naraku, take me and leave her alone! Don't harm her anymore!"

Kaede moaned in pain as she tried to grip the arrow that was still lodged in her eye.

Kikyo stood up and ignored the shooting pain in her arm. She grabbed the bow again and nocked three arrows on her bow, putting all of her spiritual energy in them. She collapsed, the power and the pain overpowering her.

It did some damage to Naraku, but it didn't kill him.

"Your spiritual powers have weakened, it seems," Naraku commented as he wiped up some of the purple blood oozing from his tentacles. "It will be much easier to kill you now."

Naraku lunged at her again; Kikyo closed her eyes, knowing this was the end for her.

An echoing boom surrounded her instead of a piercing tentacle. Kikyo opened her eyes to find Kaede standing before her, a barrier erected around the two of them.

"Kaede?" she said incredulously.

Kaede glanced at her, one of her eye sockets empty and gushing blood. Kikyo gasped.

Kaede had pulled the arrow out, eyeball and all.

"Kikyo, we have to get out of here!" she said urgently. Kikyo shook her head.

"No, _you_ do," Kikyo argued as she took the jewel from around her neck. "Go find Kai and Kagome. Give him the jewel...I think Kagome is the miko from the prophecy. I need you to tell Kai and give the jewel to Kagome. The jewel is now under her guardianship."

Kaede shook her head. "Stop talking like that! We'll go find Kai together!" Naraku lunged at the barrier, and Kikyo could tell Kaede wouldn't be able to hold it much longer.

"Kaede, do as I say!" Kikyo commanded. "Take the jewel and find Kai! _Please,_ Kaede!"

Kaede turned to look at Kikyo, tears streaming from her good eye as she took the jewel.

"I love you, Kikyo," she whispered.

"I love you, too," Kikyo replied. "When I count to three, dissolve the barrier and _run_ , okay?"

A sob escaped Kaede's mouth as she nodded. Kikyo looked up at Naraku and waited for him to pull his tentacle back to strike again.

"One…

"Two…

" _Three!"_

Kaede dissolved the barrier and ran in the opposite direction. Kikyo took her place, allowing Naraku's tentacles to pierce her body.

She gasped in pain and felt what must have been a poisonous miasma enter her body.

"Kikyo, you've allowed your sister to live?" Naraku taunted. "How touching. I'll kill her next."

Kikyo glared at him once more before drawing all of her power into her body.

_I have one more shot,_ she realized. _If I can stun him enough, Kaede should have enough time to get away._

Kikyo closed her eyes, the image of her family warming her heart for a final time.

Power erupted through her body as she called every ounce of spiritual energy into her hands. She lay her palms on Naraku's tentacles and shot him with her spiritual power.

Naraku yelled in pain and released her. Kikyo fell to the ground, unable to move. She looked up at Naraku and watched as his body began to glow.

"How dare you!" he bellowed. "You will die, Kikyo, but I will not!" Naraku's tentacles began to fall off as he shrank into a smaller form. He was weak, but he wasn't dead.

He wouldn't die today, but Kikyo knew she would.

Naraku disappeared a moment later, vanishing in the air. Kikyo closed her eyes and felt her heartbeat start to slow. Her breathing felt ragged and she was suddenly so _exhausted_.

She managed to roll onto her back, her gaze now set on the night sky above her.

The stars were shining brightly, but the moon was nowhere to be seen.

_A new moon,_ Kagome realized. _A new era...a new world._ Her eyes drifted closed as a few tears escaped and fell to the ground.

Her final thought was a prayer of safety for her family.

O.o.O.o.O

Kaede ran faster than she'd ever run before.

She ripped one of the sleeves off her kimono as she ran. The young miko ignored the blinding pain of her eye as she wrapped the cloth of the sleeve around her head.

She glanced behind her and gasped at the sight.

Kikyo had been cut down by that awful youkai.

_She called him Naraku...but why would he be after her? Why would he want to kill her?_

Her heart was screaming at her to go back, but she couldn't. She had to find Kai and Kagome. They had to get out of there.

She didn't allow her pace to slow as she bolted back to the town.

"Kai!" she screamed when her house came into view. "Kaito!"

The door opened a moment later to reveal a concerned Kai. His eyes widened in horror when he saw Kaede.

"Kaede!" he exclaimed when he saw her. "What happened? You're bleeding!" He rushed her inside and helped her lay down on the couch. "Wait here and I'll get some bandages."

Kaede lay on the couch, her body going numb. She couldn't tell if it was from blood loss or grief.

She'd gone to take Kikyo a shawl in case she was gone into the colder months.

She'd never expected this to happen.

Kai returned with bandages, a washrag, and a bin of water a moment later. He quickly began mopping up the blood.

"What happened, Kaede?"

The young girl dissolved into tears. "I caught up to Kikyo...but now she's dead."

Kaede knew in that moment that she would never forget the look on Kai's face when she told him that. His ocean-tinted skin faded into a ghostly pale.

His hands never faltered as he cleaned up her wound.

"How...how did it happen?" he asked again, his voice strained.

Kaede launched into the story, sparing no details as she told him exactly what had happened with Naraku.

"I don't know what he wanted with her," she continued. "But now I have the jewel. It has to be under Kagome's guardianship now. _She's_ the miko from the prophecy."

Kai wrapped Kaede's newly-cleaned, empty eye socket in a pile of bandages before dropping his head into his hands for a moment.

"We have to go somewhere else," Kai finally said a moment later. "We need to go into hiding. We have to leave this town and just... _hide_." Kaede nodded and waited on the couch while Kai got up to get Kagome ready to leave.

As she sat alone in the dark room, her head throbbing, she wondered how she would be able to get through life without her sister, with a deranged youkai now after her family and her niece's jewel.

As time went on, they adapted. They found places to hide and eventually live until they caught word of Naraku's whereabouts.

Kaede hadn't been home when Naraku ambushed Kagome and Kai at their house years later.

When she'd gotten home, they were both gone, missing from the house.

Kagome returned a few years later, confirming her father's death and explaining her new role of captain of a ship and hellbent on getting her jewel back from Naraku.

Kaede and Kai never told Kagome that Naraku was a youkai, believing that the prophecy was already too heavy of a burden for such a young girl. Having a youkai tracking them down...they didn't want that to be something else Kagome worried about. They didn't go into much detail about Naraku at all, giving her other excuses for why they had to move so often. They never told her Naraku was the one to kill Kikyo, and Kaede never regretted that omission, even once Kagome got older.

To have killed her father for the jewel was evil enough; knowing Naraku killed her mother would have been too much.

Kagome had grown up to be an incredible and strong woman, and Kaede was prouder than she could ever express when Kagome eventually came to her house with a hanyo in tow.

And when Bankotsu killed Kaede after trying to torture information out of her, information she would never give him no matter what he did to her, she felt that overwhelming pride for Kagome.

As she lay dying, covered in blood and completely alone, all she felt was pride for her niece, love for her, and peace knowing she would soon meet her sister after all that time.

_I believe in you, Kagome. You will bring light back to this world._

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We will now be returning to our main story.


	20. Destiny in Togenkyo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends. As you can probably tell from the title, this chapter reflects the "Fateful Night in Togenkyo" arc from the original Inuyasha story. I've made many changes to the arc to better fit this story, so if you see anything different when I refer to certain situations or people, just know it's different because I'm fitting it with this story. For example, Tokajin is a youkai in this story. There are other changes you will see as well.

**Chapter 20: Destiny in Togenkyo**

As the wind whipped through his long silver hair, Sesshomaru flew toward his next destination.

All four tribes of wolves, including Koga the Wolf Prince, ran along behind him. The wolf tribes had been the only ones that had offered to accompany him north to meet up with Inuyasha to fight Naraku. Sesshomaru had gone to try and recruit youkai to help during the impending battle, but he would _never_ force his youkai into a confrontation.

Sesshomaru knew the final moments would come down to solely Inuyasha and Kagome, but leading up until then, especially with Naraku's reincarnations and the final Band of Seven member Inuyashsa had mentioned in his letter, Sesshomaru would try to help as much as he could.

He and the wolves were headed in the direction of the ox-tiger, hoping to pick up at least a few more youkai along the way.

Sesshomaru was not one to fear battle. He was fearless and valiant, never shying away from an enemy.

Now, as the prophecy he'd heard fifty years ago began to unravel, he felt no different than usual.

If anything, his resolve for victory had intensified.

He thought back on the moment he'd received a second letter from Inuyasha that had been attached to the small neko-youkai.

"What is that, darling?" Asahi had asked him after the small cat, Kirara as Inuyasha had written was her name, delivered the letter.

Sesshomaru sat down on his throne and took a few moments to read it. "Hm. It appears Inuyasha has discovered the whereabouts of Naraku." Asahi clapped her hands together happily.

"That's so good to hear," she exclaimed as she came to sit on the arm of his throne. "What will you do next?"

Sesshomaru set the letter down on his lap and reached one of his clawed hands out to rest on the small swell of Asahi's stomach.

His wife, at only twenty-three-years-old, had already seen more horrors than most would see in a lifetime.

He hadn't told Inuyasha, but Asahi had been dead when Sesshomaru had found her. Her entire family had been slain by thieves, but Asahi's body had been the only one that hadn't been completely devoured by animals.

Sesshomaru had pulled out the Tenseiga and resurrected her, and the curiosity, awe, and surprise in her eyes had been the first thing to draw him to her.

She never feared him. She'd only loved him even from the very beginning.

Asahi had been the first person on whom he had ever used the Tenseiga, and as each day with her passed, he became more and more grateful for it.

As he told Asahi about the rest of what Inuyasha had discussed in the letter, she ran a gentle hand through his hair.

"You and Inuyasha are strong," she encouraged. "And with other youkai behind you, I know you'll be successful." Sesshomaru gently ran his hand over her stomach before wrapping his arms around her.

"And maybe you could talk to Inuyasha when you see him?" Asahi suggested gently.

Sesshomaru frowned. "I will have to, wife, so that we may figure out how to proceed."

Asahi laughed and shook her head. "Of course, husband. I mean talk to him about...well, your history, especially with the baby coming...a _hanyo_ baby. Plus...I would like for him to know our child. I'm sure he has wisdom about being a hanyo he could share."

Sesshomaru couldn't bring himself to admit that Asahi's pregnancy had begun to change him fundamentally. As he watched his hanyo child grow within Asahi's womb, he wondered what the child would look like.

Oddly enough, Inuyasha's face is what would appear. Inuyasha as a young child, running around with his hanyo heritage, being ridiculed and tormented by Sesshomaru.

Perhaps it was impending fatherhood, but Sesshomaru was guilt-ridden, especially since he was now awaiting the birth of his own hanyo child.

Asahi had been encouraging him to make amends for the way he'd treated Inuyasha, and as Asahi's belly grew a little more each day, he found himself _wanting_ to make those amends.

"I will, Asahi," Sesshomaru finally conceded. "I only wish I didn't have to leave you to do so."

Asahi shook her head. "I'm proud of you. I can only hope eradicating Naraku and the fulfillment of the prophecy will lead to a new era of peace. You're leading your youkai to victory. Even though I'll miss you dearly while you're gone."

Sesshomaru reached up to cup her cheek. "I love you," he murmured before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

Asahi smiled. "I would also like to know if Inuyasha and Kagome have admitted their feelings for each other. It was written all over their faces when we first met."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

"Asahi," he replied, "you are much too romantic for your own good."

Asahi laughed and kissed his cheek. "I don't see you complaining about it."

Now as he flew toward Naraku to meet up with Inuyasha and his companions, Sesshomaru's resolve grew.

The daiyoukai put his unwavering faith into the captain and the hanyo and continued on toward what he knew would be their shared destiny.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome's heart raced as she leaned into the firm body of a certain handsome hanyo.

His claws were buried in her hair, guiding their kisses and pulling her as close as possible.

Kagome sighed against his mouth and briefly pretended they were back on the ship, tucked comfortably in their bed with all the room offered by a queen-sized mattress.

But they weren't. They were in a tree, trying to keep their balance without removing their hands from each other.

The captain had been aching for Inuyasha's touch since they'd resumed their journey to the northeast, but there were only so many opportunities to sneak away in an attempt to get their fill of each other.

It was mostly after Miroku and Sango had already fallen asleep. Kagome and Inuyasha would share a glance before getting up and silently hurrying to the tallest tree they could find.

It would start with Kagome curling up in Inuyasha's arms as he leaned against the trunk of the tree. His claws would gently run up and down her back as her hand settled on his heart.

Eventually, she would move that hand from his chest up to his neck, stroking the skin for a moment before leaning back and moving the hand to his cheek.

His smile made her melt as his claws slid up into her hair. She would lean up as he leaned down and they would fall into the same familiar embrace, kissing each other like it was the last time.

Somehow, Kagome never got tired of it, and she knew she never would, either.

His touch was too affectionate, his lips too gentle or too heated, for her to ever _not_ want him.

As his lips moved over hers during their nights in the tree, she found herself longing for the day they could be together without any sort of impending disaster. It was one of the things she wanted most: to be with him in peace.

But for now, she would enjoy and appreciate the moments in the tree that made her heart race and blood run hot in her body.

Inuyasha pulled away suddenly, leaning his forehead against her.

"I need to tell you something," he murmured. Kagome nodded, sneaking one more kiss before leaning her head against his chest.

"What is it?" she replied, mimicking his quiet tone.

Inuyasha was silent for a moment, causing Kagome to sit up. She looked at him expectantly, but he quickly dropped his gaze. Frowning in concern, Kagome gently cupped his cheek in her hand and moved his face toward her.

"What is it?" she repeated. "Are you okay?" Inuyasha finally met her gaze.

"I just want you to know," he began, "that this, you and me, I want it...forever."

Kagome's eyes widened, wondering what had prompted his admission.

She only smiled. "So do I."

Inuyasha perked up. "Yeah?" Kagome nodded.

"Of course," she confirmed. "How could I not after all of this?"

Inuyasha smiled and moved his hands to cup her cheeks.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again...you're gonna be the death of me, woman."

Kagome laughed and pulled him back down into another kiss.

Throughout the beauty of the pleasure he brought her, she pondered what could have brought on his declaration.

_Have I said anything recently to spark that?_ she wondered. _I don't think so...but it doesn't matter. We're on the same page about_ everything _, and that's what I care about._

They finished their alone portion of the night curled up together, basking in the sensations of each other. Kagome thrived on his touch and eagerly leaned her head into his hand as he gently ran his claws through her wild hair.

"Is there anything else you need to tell me?" she teased lightly.

Inuyasha smiled. "Uh, I love you?"

Kagome laughed and shook her head, placing a kiss on his palm before laying back against his chest.

They were quiet for a few moments, allowing the peaceful embrace to comfort them silently.

Kagome was nearly asleep when Inuyasha spoke again.

"We're getting close," Inuyasha murmured. "We should find Naraku fairly soon." Kagome nodded.

"Yeah…" she replied. "I hope this time it'll be the end. I don't know what we'll do if it's another loss."

Inuyasha tightened his arms around her. "I know, but I don't think it'll be like that again. Whatever Naraku is planning, we're going to see it when we find him. We'll get him this time. I can feel it."

Inuyasha had been testing his sword out every day since they'd parted from Totosai and Myoga, but it hadn't gotten any easier for him to wield. The frustration was obviously starting to wear on him.

They'd figured they would reach Naraku in good time, but that proved to be not quite true.

Kirara had returned shortly before they left for Totosai's home, with a note stating that Sesshomaru would meet them in a little under three weeks. According to the note he'd given Kirara, he'd managed to recruit a solid number of youkai to aid them in the coming battle.

Kagome knew that Inuyasha had already figured Koga would probably come, but seeing him listed didn't make him any less annoyed.

Or guilty after what had happened at Naraku's castle...

They weren't sure how much further they would have to travel until they reached Naraku's castle, so they didn't know how much longer Inuyasha would have to figure out how to make his sword usable again.

The closer they got, the antsier they all became.

_We just need to make sure we get there when Sesshomaru said to meet him._

Traveling was fairly quiet, and Kagome could tell they were all playing through every possible scenario in their own minds.

Eight days after setting off from Totosai's home, Kagome picked up on another aura.

"There's a youkai nearby," Kagome quietly announced to the group. Inuyasha nodded from her side.

"I feel it, too," he replied. "Should we go see them?"

Kagome looked at Sango and Miroku, silently asking if they would mind. At their affirmative nods, Kagome felt out the aura and determined the exact location.

As they approached the aura, Kagome felt an odd twinge within it. It was almost...human, but not quite.

"Do you think it's a hanyo?" Kagome asked, figuring Inuyasha would have sensed the abnormality.

Inuyasha frowned. "No, but there's definitely something weird about it."

Before Kagome could answer, a giant... _thing_ appeared, grabbed Inuyasha, and disappeared.

"What the-Inuyasha?" Kagome called before looking to Miroku and Sango. "Did you guys see that?"

"Yeah, I could smell it, too," Miroku said as he waved his hand in front of his nose to disperse the odor. "What _was_ that thing?"

Kagome frowned. "Some sort of youkai, and it took Inuyasha. We have to find him."

"Can either of you sense him nearby?" Sango asked. Kagome closed her eyes and searched out Inuyasha's aura as well as the strange one she'd felt before he disappeared.

The barest hint of it was there, so Kagome decided it was their best bet to follow it.

"Yes," Kagome confirmed. "Do you, Miroku?" Miroku half-shrugged.

"A bit," he replied. "Let's go."

They began to head in the direction of Inuyasha's aura as well as the strange one they'd felt.

_Something is definitely not right here..._

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha nearly gagged at the putrid odor that assaulted his senses.

Some strange being had grabbed him and transported him somewhere else before he even realized what was happening

Now he was in an odd dark sort of room. He was alone, with only the stench to keep him company.

He looked around for any sort of light or presence of anyone else, but found none.

"Oi!" he shouted. "Show yourself!"

No answer.

Inuyasha huffed and tried to figure out what his next move should be.

Suddenly, light filled the room and the smell grew even stronger. Inuyasha had to stifle a gag as he looked toward the source of the light.

"I apologize for the sudden recruitment," a rather sincere and friendly voice said. "I saw you walking and figured you would be perfect to help me."

"How about you turn the lights on first," Inuyasha demanded. "Then we'll see."

"Oh, of course," the voice said. The lights flicked on, causing Inuyasha to wince at the sudden brightness.

When he was able to see, his eyes widened at the sight before him.

It was a _huge_ youkai, barreling several feet taller than Inuyasha and built like a boulder and smelling fouler than anything Inuyasha had ever smelled.

"I see you have the notable silver hair and golden eyes," the youkai commented. "There's some human in your aura, though...does that mean you definitely are Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Yes," he confirmed. "Who's asking?"

The youkai bowed. "I am Tokajin. You have my condolences for the loss of the inu-youkai from several months ago. That was a terrible loss for our community."

Inuyasha was puzzled. _I've never heard of a Tokajin. I wonder if Sesshomaru has…_

"Yeah, it sucked," Inuyasha replied flatly. "Now what do you want with me?"

Tokajin turned to leave the room, beckoning Inuyasha to follow him.

"Come with me, my lord," he requested. "I'll show you."

Uncertain of what exactly was happening, Inuyasha followed the youkai.

_Normally it's great when two youkai cross paths,_ Inuyasha mused. _But this guy just seems strange._

Tokajin led Inuyasha through a long corridor. Looking around as they walked, Inuyasha saw many items adorning the walls.

There were kimonos, weapons, hair ribbons, shoes, and many other common items.

"What's with all this stuff on the walls?" Inuyasha asked. "You collect antiques or something?"

Tokajin chuckled. "Or something, my lord." Inuyasha made a sour face.

"Drop the 'my lord' crap. I don't live at the palace. I ain't a lord."

Tokajin shook his head. "I was a loyal subject to Lord Toga. You are his son; therefore, you are my lord."

_Yuck. That just sounds weird._

"Whatever," Inuyasha said. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," Tokajin replied. "It's right up here. I want to show you my collection."

Raising an eyebrow, Inuyasha wondered how much more of these random items Tokajin could possibly have in his "collection."

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome and Miroku stayed on high-alert as they followed the strange aura. There was a lingering odor that Kagome knew she could only smell due to her youkai senses, so she used that as a way to guide them as well.

"It was a youkai, right?" Sango asked. Kagome nodded.

"Yes, so Inuyasha should be safe," she replied. "It's just odd how he disappeared."

_Suspicious is more like it,_ Kagome pondered. _If the youkai were looking for other youkai, why wouldn't he have taken me as well?_ She frowned. _This is starting to get really weird._

They continued walking for a few more minutes until Kagome felt an odd sensation on her skin.

"Hey, do you guys feel that-"

She cut herself off when she turned around.

Miroku and Sango had disappeared, leaving only Kagome and Kirara.

Kagome glanced down at the neko-youkai. "What do you think just happened?"

Kirara mewed, obviously confused as well.

Looking around, Kagome figured that they'd walked through a barrier; that must have been the odd sensation she'd felt on her skin.

It must have been, for she now felt not only Inuyasha's aura, but also the aura of another youkai.

_It feels like there might be humans here, too,_ she realized. _But...why? How? Their auras feel so...small._

"Do you want to go with me, Kirara?" Kagome asked. "If you want to go back through the barrier with Sango and Miroku, that's okay." Kirara mewed affirmatively, which Kagome had been expecting. She figured Kirara wouldn't want to leave Sango somewhere strange just in case something happened.

Kagome smiled. _Kirara is so protective of Sango. I'm glad they have each other._

"I'll bring Inuyasha back," Kagome promised. "We'll meet up with you all soon."

Kirara nodded and scurried off. She disappeared a moment later, having made it through the barrier and back to the other side.

Kagome turned and resumed walking in the direction of Inuyasha's aura.

_There's definitely something strange going on here. But what?_

Increasing her pace, Kagome quickly continued on.

There was a large mountain up ahead that she hadn't seen before crossing the barrier.

_That must be where they are. I can feel many auras coming from there._

There was also a large, looming tree with branches hanging over the edge of a cliff on the mountain. There was something eerie about it, but Kagome pressed on, focusing on finding Inuyasha and figuring out what kind of youkai had taken him.

O.o.O.o.O

"So tell me, Inuyasha," Tokajin said as he led Inuyasha to a large door. "What do you think of humans?"

Inuyasha frowned. "What do you mean?" Tokajin grabbed a key from his pocket and stuck it in the lock.

"Do you like humans?" Tokajin asked as he twisted the key.

"For the most part," Inuyasha replied. "The good ones. Why do you ask?"

Tokajin hummed. "There are so many bad ones, though, wouldn't you say?" Inuyasha didn't respond; he just waited for Tokajin to finally open the door.

Once the door had swung open, Inuyasha felt an assault of auras hit him like a wave.

There were easily a hundred human auras in the room, but all he saw was a rather large box in the middle of the room.

"Where are all those human auras coming from?" Inuyasha asked. "Do you have humans here?"

Tokajin put the key back into his pocket and sighed in contentment.

"I do," he confirmed. "Unlike you, I believe that all humans are bad. Think about it, Inuyasha. Their ancestors slaughtered our kind. They all deserve to suffer the same fate."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "What do you mean? What are you doing to the humans you have? Where are they?" Tokajin nodded toward the box in the middle of the room.

Inuyasha rushed over to it and saw that there was no lid. He peeked inside and saw what looked like a meadow with dozens of humans, tiny humans, some running around and others sitting in the grass motionless.

"What is this?" Inuyasha asked in horror. "Are those real humans or some sort of weird enchantment?"

Tokajin laughed. "They're real. Would you like to see?"

Before Inuyasha could shout a loud _heck no_ , Tokajin was reaching into the box and grabbing one of the humans.

Inuyasha's eyes widened at the small form no bigger than Tokajin's hand. He heard quiet screaming from the human and saw the trepidation in his eyes.

"What are you doing with these humans?" Inuyasha asked. "Let them go!"

Tokajin tossed the human back into the box and wiped his hand on his pant leg.

"Inuyasha, my lord," he began, "humans have been killing our kind for over fifty years. They slaughtered us during the war and destroyed the peace we had. Our population has only continued to dwindle since then."

Inuyasha frowned. "Yeah, so what does that have to do with these humans?"

Tokajin sighed and ran a hand over the edge of the box.

"I want them to pay," he said simply. "I want them to understand how we youkai feel."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "All that crap on your walls was stolen from humans, wasn't it? And now you...you're going to kill them?"

Tokajin smiled. "Yes, and you're going to help me."  
O.o.O.o.O

Kagome continued her trek toward the auras and began to feel many other human ones, but there was something peculiar about them.

It was as if they were far away, but even that didn't quite seem to explain the odd sensation. It was like they were _tiny_. The auras all felt _small_.

_What kind of a place is this?_ Kagome wondered. _What is a youkai doing with so many humans?_

Kagome made quick work of climbing the mountain when she reached it. Once she'd pulled herself up on the cliff, she got a better look at the looming tree.

There was fruit hanging from the branches, but it didn't look like any fruit she'd ever seen before. Upon closer inspection, she realized the fruit had a human-like shape to it; it was as if human heads were hanging from the tree.

_Yeah, there's definitely something disturbing happening here._

Walking past the tree, Kagome continued on until she found a large mansion. All of the auras she felt were coming from the mansion, including Inuyasha's.

The captain eagerly scanned the sides of the mansion for some sort of entrance, but it seemed like there weren't any. She couldn't even find any windows.

_What kind of place_ is _this?_

Finally, she stumbled upon a door after walking around almost the entire mansion. She kicked it in, more focused on finding Inuyasha quickly than being quiet about her entrance.

She assumed a fighting stance when she entered the dark mansion, but no one appeared.

Keeping her guard up, Kagome moved forward. She soon found herself in a long corridor with several doors on each side.

As she hurried through the long hallway, she peeked in each door she walked past but found them all empty.

_It's like this place is completely empty,_ she mused as she continued. _If it weren't for all the auras I feel, I would have thought this place was totally abandoned. It's so dark and creepy._

The aura she'd felt appear before Inuyasha had been taken suddenly flared nearby.

Kagome opened the next door down the corridor and was met by a foul stench and a disturbing aura.

It was a giant youkai with its back to the door and its massive hands clasped behind its back.

"Hello?" she called. "Who are you?"

The youkai turned around and smiled.

"Welcome," the youkai greeted. "You have quite an interesting aura. You're youkai, yes? But human, as well... _more_ human than youkai."

Kagome frowned. "That's correct. I'm looking for someone you took. Where is he?"

Tokajin nodded. "You must mean Inuyasha." Kagome nodded firmly.

"Yes," she confirmed. "I felt your aura appear for a moment, take Inuyasha, then disappear with him. I want you to release him to me."

Tokajin peered at her for a moment. "How fascinating. You're in love with him. It's written all over your face."

_He's right,_ Kagome thought to herself. _But there's something odd in the way he said it. Something...predatory._

"Have you done something to him?" Kagome demanded. "Where is he?"

Tokajin smiled. "Tell me something. What is your name?"

Kagome hesitated. "It's Kagome. Now _where_ is Inuyasha?" Tokajin hummed.

"I must say, Kagome," he began, "if it weren't for the repulsive amount of human in your aura, I might want to have you as my own. But I suppose we can't control what aura we receive at birth. What a shame."

Alarms bells began to ring all throughout Kagome's head. This youkai...he obviously hated humans.

_But if he hates humans, why does he have so many here?_

It only took a moment to realize.

Eyes widening, Kagome began to back away from Tokajin. "What are you doing with all the humans you have here? Are you harming them?"

Tokajin sighed. "You're so defensive of them, just like Inuyasha. With so much human in your heritage, I understand why. Inuyasha is only half-human, yet he was just as horrified when I explained to him what my plans are. Would you like for me to tell you, too?"

Kagome growled. "Are you planning to harm the humans?"

Tokajin turned his back on Kagome again, his back radiating the angst he was obviously feeling.

"Humans are the reason the youkai population has decreased so rapidly during the last several decades," Tokajin explained. "It's time for humans to pay for what they've done."

Kagome's eyes widened. "So you want to kill them? Why?"

Tokajin turned back to face her, his eyes flashing. "How dare you ask me why? You, who bear the blood of a youkai tainted by so much _human_. There is still youkai in your heritage. Are you not proud enough of that heritage that you can't see why humans deserve to die just as our kind has died?"

Kagome shook her head. "You're crazy! Killing humans won't make up for all the youkai that have died."

Tokajin scoffed. "I should have figured you wouldn't understand. I'll reunite you with Inuyasha. How does that sound? You're both traitors to the youkai race for not joining me. You'll die with the rest of the humans."

He moved to pull a sword from his side, but Kagome was quicker.

She shot a large blast of spiritual energy from her hand, effectively stunning Tokajin and knocking the lumbering youkai onto his back.

Ignoring his shouts of pain, Kagome immediately ran from the room in search of Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed as she ran down the corridor. "Inuyasha, can you hear me?"

She raced through the corridor until she reached a door at the end of it.

Kagome didn't hesitate in throwing the door open and rushing into the room. She instantly felt Inuyasha's aura, as well as the other human ones.

The room was empty, save for a box in the middle of it.

_All of the auras are radiating from that box,_ she realized. _How is that possible?_

She approached the box hesitantly, uncertain of what she might find in it.

When she looked into it, she gasped.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha growled, albeit very humanly, and looked around for a way to escape the box.

He'd felt himself start to shrink as soon as Tokajin had pushed him into it, but the worst part was that Tokajin had somehow managed to rip his youkai power from him.

"You don't deserve to yield such power in your aura!" Tokajin had shouted as he shoved Inuyasha into the box. "You _will_ become a human and I will devour you just like the others!"

Now here Inuyasha was: trapped in a box as a tiny human.

There were dozens of other humans with him, so he ran to the first one he saw.

"Oi!" he called. "What kind of place is this?"

The human nodded to him. "Tokajin kidnapped us all and put us in here. We are just awaiting death now."

Inuyasha frowned. The man seemed so...peaceful. It was as if he knew his fate and no longer feared it.

"He said he wants to kill humans," Inuyasha replied. "How does he do it? Why are you all in this box instead of, well, in his stomach?"

The man shook his head. "When he has eaten all the fruit on the tree, he will use us in the soil. Our souls will grow as fruit on the tree, and he will eat them. He put us here to wait for that time."

Inuysha's eyes widened. "And you're okay with that?" he shouted. "No way am I turning into fruit and getting eaten! We have to find a way to get out of here."

The man sighed. "We've tried. There is no way."

Inuyasha huffed. "What's your name?"

"Enishi," the man replied. Inuyasha nodded.

"Well, Enishi, my name is Inuyasha and I'm pretty good at getting out of troublesome situations. I'm fairly certain I can get us all out of this one."

Enishi's eyes widened. "How?"

Inuyasha smiled. "I'm one half of a power-couple."

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome was horrified at the sight she saw in the box.

It was _full_ of humans. They were milling around, trapped in the box like a miniature society.

"Hello?" Kagome said. "Can you all hear me?"

Only one human turned to answer her.

Tiny brown eyes met her blue ones, and Kagome barely managed to pick out the faintest shout of her name.

" _Inuyasha?"_ she shrieked.

Her hanyo was in his human form despite the new moon's absence from the sky. He was just as tiny as all of the other humans; Kagome figured this was what Tokajin had meant.

"What should I do?" Kagome asked, keeping her eyes on the mini-Inuyasha.

He was shouting something back, but she couldn't make out the words.

Daring to try something, Kagome reached her hand down into the box and gently grabbed Inuyasha in her hand.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Kagome jumped and nearly dropped Inuyasha as Tokajin barrelled into the room, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"You're sick!" Kagome shouted. "You're keeping these people in a box like your own personal dollhouse? What's wrong with you?"

Tokajin charged her, but Kagome jumped out of the way before he could hit her.

Instead of Kagome, Tokajin ran straight into the box, knocking it over onto its side.

The box began to emit a bright light, and the tiny humans began to pour out before growing back into human-like sizes. Inuyasha jumped from Kagome's hand as he began to grow as well.

"No!" Tokajin shouted. "How dare you?!"

When the humans were finally at their full height, they took one look at Tokajin, screamed in fear, and ran out of the room.

"You can't escape!" Tokajin shouted. "The barrier will keep you in! I _will_ devour you!"

The only one that remained in the room was Inuyasha, although he was still in his human form.

A clawless hand grabbed Kagome's as he pulled her out of the room.

"Let's go!" he shouted as they ran back down the corridor.

"Get back here!" Tokajin bellowed.

"Why are you a human?" Kagome asked Inuyasha as they ran. Inuyasha shook his head.

"He told me I didn't deserve to be youkai," he replied, "because I sympathize with humans. He turned me human so he could eat me, too. He has some sort of weird magic...I can't explain it."

Kagome glanced at him as they hurried to exit the building.

"We'll find a way to change you back," Kagome promised. "Let's just get out of here first."

Inuyasha couldn't help but smile at her. "I knew you'd come." Kagome laughed.

"Of course I came, silly," she replied. "I can't let you have all the fun."

Tokajin was still after them when they made it outside.

Just as the massive youkai had said, the humans were stuck nearby, unable to even get off of the cliff near the mansion.

"He must have a second barrier for the humans here," Kagome announced as she and Inuyasha came to a halt.

"We're going to just have to fight him," Inuyasha said as he assumed a fighting stance. "We can take him."

Kagome shook her head. "Let me do this," she insisted. "You're strong, but you're also human. If something were to happen to you...just let me do this."

Inuyasha frowned at her. "We're in this together, woman. You can't get rid of me that easily."

Before she could argue further, Tokajin burst from the mansion and lunged for them.

Kagome shoved Inuyasha out of the way before launching herself at Tokajin. She charged her hands full of spiritual power and blasted him.

"What should I do, Inuyasha?" she asked. "I can't kill him. He's youkai!"

Inuyasha growled. "I know...there has to be another way!"

Tokajin stole Kagome's attention as he threw another punch at her.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha watched in horror as Kagome fought off Tokajin.

He'd hoped he would have returned to his hanyo form after being released from the box, but so far, he'd had no such luck.

With every groan of effort that came from Kagome's mouth, Inuyasha grew angrier and angrier.

_What am I supposed to do when I'm like this?_ he wondered. _I don't have any claws and the Tessaiga is still heavy!_

He huffed in frustration.

_I can't just stand here!_ he shouted internally. _I have to at least_ try _to do something._

In an act of pure desperation, he pulled out the Tessaiga and aimed at Tokajin, who was still preoccupied with fighting Kagome, so Inuyasha figured he would at least have the element of surprise on his side.

But the Tessaiga didn't transform at all.

He waited a moment, then another moment, then another, but nothing happened.

"So you don't work when I'm human?" he shouted at the sword. He growled at the rusty katana, but he figured it was better than nothing.

Inuyasha waited until Tokajin was recoiling from a hit from Kagome. Then he moved.

Releasing a fierce battle cry, Inuyasha aimed the Tessaiga at Tokajin's heart and lunged.

Barely a scratch.

"Inuyasha, get out of the way!" Kagome shouted. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to-" Inuyasha's shout was cut off by a fierce punch from Tokajin.

The breath was knocked from his lungs as he was propelled harshly onto the ground. The Tessaiga fell from his hand, clattering to the ground at his side.

He heard Kagome call his name, but he could hardly move from where he'd been thrown.

The sounds of the continued altercation between Kagome and Tokajin rang out in the air, but Inuyasha found he couldn't move.

There was something swirling around in the pit of his stomach as his eyes could do nothing but remain locked on the sky above him.

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome's voice sounded far away and hazy, but it finally started bringing Inuyasha back from the daze into which he'd fallen.

It happened in an instant, but seemed to move in slow-motion.

Inuyasha sat up to find Kagome moving toward him, her attention locked on him.

Tokajin came up behind her with the sword from his side raised, ready to strike Kagome in her back.

_No…_

As if no longer in control of his body, Inuyasha moved.

Without pausing to think, he pushed Kagome out of the way as he jumped up, grabbing the Tessaiga and launching himself at Tokajin.

Gone was the heaviness of the Tessaiga. As Inuyasha raised it over his head to strike at Tokajin, the sword had transformed and returned to its normal sensation of simply being an extension of his arm.

He swung it, and a power unlike anything he'd ever felt with Tessaiga before erupted from his body.

Large beams of light shot from the sword, hitting Tokajin head-on and illuminating him with bright flashes of power.

When the light finally faded, Tokajin was lying motionless on the ground, unconscious to the world.

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked at the Tessaiga. The transformed fang looked the same as if always did, but it felt completely different.

_I've mastered it as my own,_ he realized in awe. _Tessaiga...it's really_ mine _now._

He noticed his hands around the hilt had claws on them as he felt his dog ears return to the top of his head. Silver hair hung down his back, still swinging a bit from the impact of the attack.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called as she ran to his side. She kissed him quickly before motioning to the Tessaiga.

"What was that?" she asked. "I've never seen anything like it."

Inuyasha looked at the blade. "Kaze no Kizu," he replied, the name of the attack coming to his mind almost on instinct. "The Wind Scar."

Kagome smiled. "It was amazing. Does this mean you've mastered the sword?" Inuyasha nodded and put it back in its sheath.

_Protecting Kagome...how it always goes. I wouldn't want it any other way._

He and Kagome walked over to the unconscious Tokajin still sprawled on the ground.

"What should we do with him?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't know. I don't want to kill him. There has to be something else we can do."

Before either of them could speak again, Tokajin began to glow. A faint light emitted from his body, engulfing him in a soft glow.

"What's happening?" Kagome asked.

The light of Tokajin's body began to fade, leaving a new body in its wake.

Instead of looking like a giant, lumbering youkai, Tokajin had transformed into a smaller turtle youkai.

"Uh, Tokajin?" Inuyasha said. Tokajin sat up carefully, meeting Inuyasha's gaze.

"What did you do to me?" he asked, his voice calm and serene. "What happened to my body?"

Kagome walked over to kneel in front of him. "I think this must be your true form. Tell me, what happened to you? How did you become that way?"

Tokajin took in a shallow breath, his strength obviously beginning to drain from his body.

"I was angry and full of hate," he explained weakly. "The youkai community...we've been abused and killed for so many years. It ate away at me until I became...what you saw."

Inuyasha shook his head. "All of that will end soon. I promise you."

Tokajin closed his eyes. "I only wish I could see it."

His body began to glow again for a moment.

Inuyasha heard him sigh quietly before the light faded.

Tokajin was gone.

"I think he's at peace now," Kagome said quietly. "Your Wind Scar must have destroyed the evil in him." Inuyasha nodded before reaching out to take her hand.

"Yeah," he agreed.

He turned to look at the humans still gathered nearby.

Their gazes were full of fear as they watched Kagome and Inuyasha.

"You all are safe now," Inuyasha announced. "You should go back home."

Enishi was the first human to step up. "You're a youkai?"

Inuyasha nodded. "I am. So is Kagome here."

Enishi paused for a moment. "You were so kind to me, Inuyasha, and you both saved us...does this mean you're not going to kill us?"

Inuyasha and Kagome shook their heads.

"No," Kagome assured him. "We're not going to harm you in any way. Can we help you get back to your homes?"

Enishi looked at them in awe. "Why wouldn't you kill us like Tokajin wanted to?"

"Youkai don't want to kill humans," Inuyasha explained. "Tokajin was rare, but you saw him. His bitterness about the death of our kind warped him into someone he wasn't. Youkai don't want to kill humans. We are not a danger to you."

All of the humans exchanged silent glances.

"We've always been taught that youkai want to kill us," Enishi replied. "We've been taught they don't want peace."

"That's _all_ we want," Inuyasha corrected. "We're fighting for peace. We want to end the tensions between humans and youkai. We _will_ end the tensions."

"We will tell everyone of this," Enishi promised. "What you've done for us...how you saved us all...we will not keep it quiet."

Inuyasha and Kagome bowed to them.

"Thank you," Kagome said, her voice shaky. Inuyasha could smell the tears she was trying to keep from falling.

The humans departed from the mansion, now free without the barrier trapping them in.

Once alone, Inuyasha and Kagome turned toward each other.

Without hesitation, Kagome threw herself into Inuyasha's arms, and he wasted no time in holding her fervently.

"Kagome," he murmured, "it's started. The peace we're destined to bring...it's coming. First Jinenji, now this...it's _hope_."

Kagome laughed happily. "I know. _Finally."_

"We need to cut down this tree, though," Inuyasha said as they pulled away. "Human souls are trapped in the fruit. Tokajin had been eating them and using their souls to strengthen him. Once we cut down the tree, the souls should be free to pass on in peace."

Kagome nodded. "I can't believe what happened to Tokajin. It's all so crazy."

Inuyasha pulled out the Tessaiga and aimed it at the trunk of the tree. "I know, but changes are happening. The world is evolving."

Inuyasha hacked away at the wood until the tree had fallen down. Before it could even hit the ground, the fruits began to glow before drifting up and regaining their forms as human souls. In a wave of peace, they soared off into the sky.

"Well, that's over," Inuyasha said as he sheathed the Tessaiga. "Let's get out of here. We have a prophecy to fulfill."

Kagome smiled and took his hand as they began to head back to their friends.

It took them a while to reach Miroku, Sango, and Kirara, and when they were finally in sight, Inuyasha and Kagome smiled.

"Kagome!" Sango shouted as she ran toward her. The two women embraced quickly before Sango pulled away to make sure Inuyasha and Kagome were alright.

"You guys were gone for over a week!" she exclaimed. "What happened?"

Inuyasha's stomach dropped.

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked. "We were only gone for a little more than two hours."

Miroku shook his head. "Kagome, it's been nine days. What happened to you?"

Inuyasha met Kagome's gaze and saw his confusion reflected in her eyes.

"Time must have passed differently beyond the barrier," Inuyasha said. "It must have been part of Toakjin's power."

"Who is Tokajin?" Miroku cut in. "Did he harm you?"

Kagome shook her head. "It's a long story, but we're fine. We were really gone for nine days?"

Sango nodded. "Yes, which means we only have a few days to make it to where Naraku is. Sesshomaru's note said he'd be there in five days. We need to hurry."

Inuyasha and Kagome nodded firmly.

"Let's do it," Kagome announced.

The group set off as Kagome began to explain what had happened with Tokajin. They all agreed that destiny was evolving the era into one of peace between humans and youkai. Inuyasha was relieved, but he was also saddened that Tokajin had died before he got to see it.

Kagome took his hand and squeezed it encouragingly, reading his mind just like she always did.

He smiled at her, taking in the sight of the small woman he loved so dearly.

_We're so close,_ he mused. _I can feel it._

O.o.O.o.O

Naraku smirked.

The witch had finally started cooperating. It had taken days of torture, but Naraku had finally managed to break her.

"Now, Urasue," he boomed. "You will do what I ask."

Urasue, covered in blood and unable to get up from where she was kneeling, nodded weakly.

"Give it to me," she requested. "I'll do what you want. But I've told you before: it won't work with something so small." Naraku patted her head and handed her the small portion of Kagome's soul.

"I imagine they will be here soon," Naraku replied. "Do what you can until then. You have the reputation of the most powerful witch in the world. I'm certain there's _something_ you can do."

Urasue's shoulders dropped, but she nodded and held the portion of the soul in her palms before closing her eyes.

Leaving her to do what she needed, Naraku exited the cave to find Kagura and Kanna.

"Go find the captain and the hanyo," he ordered. "I want to know where they are and how long we have until they arrive." Kagura, in her usual defiant manner, just rolled her eyes and transformed her feather.

Kanna silently mounted the feather with her, and they soon flew off to search out Kagome and Inuyasha.

Naraku smiled and went back into the cave to make sure Urasue continued her task swiftly. He wanted everything to be ready by the time destiny came knocking on his door.

_Everything is turning out perfectly,_ he mused. _I once wanted to use the jewel to turn into a full-youkai, but this will be so much better. I must say, I'm pleased that the jewel didn't grant me my wish. Such serendipity. Now I will get what I've always wanted._

To be continued…


	21. Call to War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads-up that you will see some familiar names in this chapter but I have changed certain aspects about them.
> 
> This is rather short and is more of a connecting chapter before we reach the final battle.
> 
> Shout-out to Sid (shinidamachu) for her great advice against my very intense writer's block during this chapter *smiles sheepishly*

**Chapter 21: Call to War**

Kagome stared up at the night sky, her mind racing with thoughts of the battle to come.

Inuyasha was sound asleep next to her, his hand resting on her arm as he slumbered. Kagome smiled at his sleeping form before turning her attention back up to the stars.

They would be meeting up with Sesshomaru in a mere two days. As a larger team, they would make a full plan for how to take down Naraku.

Kagome just wondered what he was planning.

_He took part of my soul,_ she pondered. _But why? What could he need that for?_

She figured it was for some sort of magic or enchantment, but when she mentioned it to the others, none of them could come up with any ideas of what kind of enchantment it could be.

Kagome had a really bad feeling about the whole thing; whatever Naraku's plan was, it was coming up quickly.

Then there was the new moon…

The new moon was coming in only three days, and Kagome hoped they'd be able to defeat Naraku before then. If they were fighting Naraku when Inuyasha turned human…

Kagome closed her eyes. She didn't even want to think about that.

It almost made her laugh; she remembered asking Inuyasha if he thought they'd be able to defeat Naraku before his next human night. Neither of them thought they could, but with the battle looming over them, she knew they would either be fortunately correct or dangerously wrong.

If Kagome were to lose Inuyasha...if he died in the battle…

She rolled onto her side to curl up next to the hanyo.

_I can't think like that,_ she scolded herself. _I don't even want to_ consider _that._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagura silently kept alert for the auras of the group for which they were searching.

Kanna sat next to her on the feather in mirrored silence as they flew through the sky over a large forest.

"Naraku just said to find them," Kagura said. "Does that mean we shouldn't attack them?"

Kanna kept her gaze on the ground, her mirror clutched in her hands.

"We must see where they are," she murmured. "Naraku wants to know how much time he has to prepare."

Kagura frowned. _Prepare what? I still don't even know what he's planning to do with Urasue._

"I suppose you're still not going to explain, huh?" Kagura goaded. "No one ever tells me anything."

Kanna turned her head toward Kagura in a sharp movement.

The wind sorceress' eyes widened at the unexpected action.

"What's your problem?" Kagura asked. "Don't look at me like that. It's creepy."

Kanna kept her black eyes trained on Kagura.

"Naraku is distracted," she droned. "He is focused on Urasue. He keeps your heart hidden somewhere else now, away from him."

Kagura froze. "Really? Where is it?"

Kanna looked away from her and fell back into silence.

"You're gonna tell me that," Kagura began, "and then not elaborate? Where's my heart, Kanna? Tell me!"

Silence.

Kagura groaned and was half-tempted to throw Kanna off the feather.

"Whatever," Kagura conceded, crossing her arms across her chest. "At least I know I don't have to worry about him squeezing the life out of me anytime soon."

Then it hit her.

_Naraku can't control me right now,_ she realized. _He needs my heart to manipulate me...to_ threaten _me. Without it, I could leave…_

"Kanna, don't you hate Naraku?" Kagura asked. "He created us, but for what purpose? To treat us like his own little puppets so he doesn't have to do any dirty work?"

Kanna shifted the mirror in her lap but didn't speak.

Kagura scoffed. "I want to escape. I want to get as far away from here as possible and at least be free for a little while before he crushes my heart after his secret plan is finished."

In an act of desperation, Kagura reached out her hand and set it on Kanna's arm.

"Don't you want to escape, too?" Kagura asked, her voice quieter.

Black eyes once again focused on her.

"Destruction precedes," Kanna murmured before setting her gaze back on the ground below them.

Kagura frowned, but said nothing more.

_What does she mean?_ Kagura wondered. _I wish she wouldn't be so cryptic all the time._

"I don't know what Naraku thinks they're gonna do when we find them," Kagura said, changing the subject. "Obviously they're gonna attack. I don't know how he expects us to go unnoticed. We're probably in for a fight regardless of what he wants."

The flight was silent until Kagura began to pick up on several familiar auras.

"I think I feel them," she announced quietly as she flew the feather lower to the ground. "Can you tell?"

Kanna nodded, so Kagura landed the feather and transformed it back to its smaller size before pinning it in her hair.

"Here goes nothing," Kagura grumbled as she and Kanna walked through the trees. They walked as silently as possible, but Kagura knew it was only a matter of time before the captain and the hanyo picked up on their presence.

Sure enough, a loud voice called for them from the trees.

"Oi! Show yourselves!"

Kagura rolled her eyes. She knew it was the hanyo from the voice and aura now that he'd come after them, so she quickly went to grab the feather from her hair.

Before she could, a blinding light and blast of power came toward herself and Kanna, knocking down trees and lighting up the forest.

Kagura yanked Kanna out of the way, pulling them both to the ground and narrowly missing the attack.

"What was that?" Kagura asked out loud as she and Kanna got up. "That thing nearly killed us!"

The hanyo, Inuyasha, appeared in front of them with his sword aimed at them.

"You here for another fight?" he asked menacingly. The captain and the two other adults joined him, identical glares painted on their faces.

"What was that thing you just shot at us?" Kagura asked. "Was that from your sword?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Yeah, you want a taste of it?"

Kagura suddenly got an idea.

A dangerous one.

"How powerful is that attack?" she asked. "Would it have killed us?" Inuyasha glanced at his comrades before looking back at Kagura, his grip on the sword never faltering.

"It kills evil," he replied. "So given the fact that you're from Naraku, I'm guessing yeah, you would die."

The captain, Kagome, came up beside the hanyo and set her hand on his shoulder.

"What do you want?" she asked Kagura, her voice firm but not hateful. "Why aren't you attacking us?"

Going based on pure desperation, Kagura folded her fans and dropped them on the ground beside her.

"I want out," she blurted. "Naraku needs to die. That attack you just did...that could kill him."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "How could you possibly expect us to believe you? This is probably some sort of ploy from Naraku."

Kagome walked toward them, shaking off Inuyasha's hand when he tried to stop her.

"Why do you want Naraku to die?" she asked.

Kagura looked away. "Naraku has control of my heart. I am the wind, but he holds me down. Right now, he's distracted and doesn't have my heart with him like usual. I want to take advantage of that. Help us... _please."_

Kagome grimaced. "I believe you. I can see it in your eyes."

Kagome nodded toward Kanna. "And you? What does Naraku have on you?"

Kanna was silent. Kagome frowned, but she didn't push her for an answer.

"What is Naraku planning?" the captain asked instead. "What's his goal? Why did he have Byakuya take part of my soul?"

Kagura shook her head. "He doesn't tell me that kind of stuff. He doesn't trust me. Don't bother asking Kanna either. She won't-"

"Urasue."

Kanna's small voice cut off Kagura. The wind sorceress glanced at her in surprise.

"What about Urasue?" Inuyasha demanded. "We already know Naraku was searching for her. Does that mean he found her?"

"He has her," Kanna droned. Kagura frowned.

"Yeah, he has her chained up," she added. "Byakuya brought back part of the captain's soul. Apparently he gave it to Urasue."

"But why?" Kagome asked. "Does he want to control me through Urasue?"

"Resurrection."

Five pairs of eyes shot to Kanna.

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked. "That's just a rumor. Urasue can't resurrect people...right?"

Kanna shook her head. "With a soul powerful enough, it is possible."

Kagome gasped.

"I know who he's trying to bring back from the dead," she said, her voice filled with horror.

"Who?" Inuyasha prodded.

Kagome's eyes went wide.

"My mother."

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome nearly vomited when she realized what Naraku's plan was.

It had been a surprise to hear Kagura speak of wanting to betray and escape from Naraku, but finally learning what Naraku's true goal was shocked her even more.

"Why would he want to bring back your mother?" Inuyasha asked. "He's the one that killed her."

Kagome shook her head. "He was in love with her before he killed her, and now he wants her back. He finally found me and the prophecy is unraveling." Her eyes widened as she addressed Kanna. "Is this the darkness that's coming? The resurrection of my mother...the power she has...Naraku will harness it to kill me and Inuyasha?"

Kanna nodded.

It took all of Kagome's strength to not collapse onto the ground. This was _too_ much.

"So the darkness from the prophecy was Naraku's desire," Inuyasha said. "The jewel must not have granted whatever his wish was, and now that the prophecy is in motion, he'll use Kagome's resurrected mother to kill us. It'll go beyond that, though, won't it? First us, then the world. _Everything_ will be wrapped in darkness."

Again, Kanna nodded her confirmation.

Kagome took a deep breath. "Has he finished the resurrection?"

Kagura shook her head. "No. Urasue had just started cooperating when we left. She can't fully resurrect someone without an entire soul. Kagome's portion is strong, but Urasue said she can't rely just on that. Naraku is focused on _you,_ Kagome."

Kagome looked away. "I know he is. How far are we from him?"

"A few hours," Kagura replied. "He has Byakuya, Goshinki, and the last Band of Seven member with him. We'll have to get through them before we can get to Naraku and Urasue."

Kagome huffed. "I forgot about Suikotsu. He's a tough one, but we can take him."

"The daiyoukai will find us sometime tomorrow," Inuyasha explained. "He's bringing reinforcements so we can attack as a larger group. I can only hope he was able to recruit more than just the wolves."

Seeing the wolf tribes would be hard, and Kagome knew it would be especially difficult for Inuyasha to have to face Koga.

Whenever Koga and the wolves came up in conversation, a flash of unrestrained guilt came across Inuyasha's face before he could school his expression again.

"We must return," Kanna said. "Naraku is growing impatient."

"What will you do?" Kagome asked. "Can we help somehow?" Kagura shook her head.

"We'll be fine," Kagura assured her. "Once you arrive, we'll help how we can."

Kagura and Kanna departed on a feather soon after, leaving the group in a surprised silence.

"Well," Sango began, "that was unexpected."

Inuyasha breathed a sigh. "At least it's something."

"Are you sure we can trust them?" Miroku spoke up. Inuyasha nodded.

"I do," he replied. "Kagome was right. There was something in their eyes...well, mostly Kagura's, but it was still there. It was pain...similar to what I think we've all felt."

His words resonated in the air, leaving them in a pensive silence until they decided to keep moving.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha stared into the fire as they ate dinner. He had little appetite for the fish Kagome had caught in a nearby river.

They'd all been rather quiet as they got settled for the night. Inuyasha knew Sesshomaru would find them at some point the next day, so the hanyo was trying to prepare himself.

Kagome took his hand subtly and squeezed it, comforting him silently. Inuyasha knew she could feel his unease, and he could feel hers as well.

He knew she was a mess internally, especially after the news of what Naraku was planning.

If they didn't get to Naraku in time, Kagome would have to see an undead version of her mother.

_This might be a tree night,_ he mused. _She just needs a break from all this._

Kagome didn't seem surprised when Inuyasha tugged her up after Miroku and Sango had fallen asleep.

The captain followed him to a tall tree nearby before they easily hopped up to one of the highest branches.

The couple settled against the trunk, with Inuyasha's back against the wood and Kagome curled up in his arms.

They were quiet for a few moments as Inuyasha gently ran his claws up and down Kagome's back. Her hand came up to set on his heart, her fingers running over the fabric of his shirt.

"Will you wear the Robe of the Fire Rat when we face Naraku?" she asked quietly. Inuyasha nodded against her head.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "But only because you like how it looks." Kagome laughed and shook her head.

"I can't deny it," she teased. She sighed as she patted his chest.

"Everything is going to change," she murmured. "I can feel it."

"Yes," Inuyasha agreed. "But whatever happens, we'll make it out."

The thought of Kagome not making it out had crossed his mind once, but he'd immediately shut it down. He would protect her. He would sooner die himself than allow fatal harm to come to her.

"I'm scared," Kagome admitted in a quiet voice. "I'm afraid to see my mom. I know it won't really be her, but it'll _look_ like her." Inuyasha hummed.

"I know," he replied. "But we'll get there in time. Kagura said Urasue can't revive her with just the small portion of your soul Byakuya stole, so there's no way she could even be there."

Kagome didn't respond for a moment.

"Yeah…" Her voice was hesitant, and Inuyasha knew she was running through every possible circumstance.

"Hey," he said, nudging her to sit up so he could see her. When she'd finally looked up to meet his gaze, he reached out and cupped her cheeks in his hands.

Her blue eyes were filled with a storm of uncertainty, the usual resilience waning the slightest bit.

"I trust you more than anyone I've ever trusted in my life," Inuyasha murmured. "No matter what happens, I want you to know that I'm by your side. I'll protect you with my life."

Kagome's eyes filled with tears as she nodded rather reluctantly.

Inuyasha's mouth drooped into a frown when he saw a tear escape and fall down her cheek.

Kagome was scared. _Really_ scared.

"Don't be afraid," Inuyasha comforted quietly. "If it comes down to it, you won't have to go up against your mom if she for some reason has been resurrected. Someone else will, okay?"

Kagome shook her head. "I've lost my mom once already. It'll be hard if I have to see her, but that's not what I'm _most_ afraid of. " Inuyasha searched her blue eyes, wondering what could possibly scare her more than that.

"What is it, Kagome?" he insisted gently. "What are you afraid of?"

There was a flash of darkness in her eyes, a display of dread appearing deep within her irises.

Kagome leaned her face into his palm.

"Do you remember when Bankotsu attacked the ship?" she asked. "And I thought he'd taken you?"

At Inuyasha's nod, Kagome closed her eyes.

"I was almost hysterical," she admitted. "The thought of losing you...it _terrified_ me. If I lose you now, after finally getting to love you, I don't know how I'll survive. _That's_ what I'm most afraid of."

Inuyasha's eyes widened at the way her voice shook as she spoke. He ran his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping the tears away as they came.

"Kagome, don't think like that," he soothed. "No one is gonna die." Kagome's eyes opened as she nodded and lay back down against his chest.

They stayed in the tree for the rest of the night, neither of them speaking as the night wore on.

Inuyasha had faith that they would come out of this successful, but Kagome's words were wearing on him.

_What if…?_

o.O.o

Inuyasha's already bad mood increased when he picked up on multiple approaching auras.

He, Kagome, Miroku, and Sango were finishing up with their lunch when Inuyasha caught the aura of Sesshomaru. The wolves were with him, as well as a few other auras he didn't recognize.

He exchanged a glance with Kagome when they picked up Koga's aura, and he further dreaded the moment they would meet again.

"They're coming," Inuyasha warned. "So...brace yourselves." He was mostly talking to Miroku and Sango, so he hoped his warning was enough for them to be prepared for the onslaught of youkai.

Sesshomaru appeared first as he began to descend to the ground from where he was flying in the sky. Inuyasha frowned as he landed, graceful as always, and began to walk over to them.

The wolves suddenly emerged from the forest to join them, along with a few other youkai.

Inuyasha cringed when he saw Koga, and he felt Kagome discreetly give his hand an encouraging squeeze before she stood up to greet them.

"Hello, my lord," she said politely to Sesshomaru as she bowed. "Thank you for meeting us. Allow me to introduce our companions."

Miroku and Sango were obviously in awe of the ostentatious appearance of the daiyoukai, but they remained composed, bowing lowly to him upon their introductions.

"And you already know Kirara," Kagome said as she motioned toward the neko-youkai. Sesshomaru nodded a greeting at Kirara, to which the cat replied with her feline version of a bow.

Koga walked over to them and nodded his own greetings.

"Hi, Koga," Kagome said. "Thank you for coming." Koga shrugged.

"I've got a bone to pick with Naraku," he said. "The sooner the better so I don't have to be around the mutt longer than I need to be." Inuyasha grimaced.

_Alright, so there's still some hostility...at least he's being cordial enough to Kagome._

Ginta and Hakkaku smiled when they saw them, while Ayame kept her eyes on Koga.

Inuyasha nearly groaned. _It's gonna be a long day._

"I did not have much success," Sesshomaru began, "in finding more youkai to aid us. I cannot force our people to fight, so this is our battle force."

Inuyasha and the others already knew the wolves, so introductions weren't necessary. There were several other youkai with them whom Sesshomaru introduced.

Hachiemon, who went by his nickname Hachi, was a tenuki with the ability to transform into a flying gourd. He seemed meek, but Inuyasha could tell he would be brave in battle.

There were Manten and Hiten, the Thunder Brothers known for their intense strength in controlling weather patterns. They were pompous and obviously powerful, and Inuyasha wondered if they could be stronger if they combined their efforts with Kagura specifically due to her control of the wind. Inuyasha made a mental note to suggest that later.

Finally, they were joined by a monkey youkai named Shigeru, who had brought three smaller monkey sprites with him. They'd introduced themselves as Kenichi, Kenji, and Kenta, their red butts shaking the entire time they were speaking.

The group got acquainted with each other before sitting down to begin their plan for the next day.

"What have you all discussed so far?" Sesshomaru asked. Inuyasha shook his head.

"Not much," he admitted. "We wanted to wait until we were all together before we started making a game plan."

Sesshomaru hummed. "I see. Tell me, who all is with Naraku now?"

Inuyasha went into detail, repeating necessary information for the new youkai that had joined them.

"Luckily, two of Naraku's reincarnations have turned on him," Inuyasha explained. "They're going to help us tomorrow." Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

"Are you quite certain they will help?" he asked skeptically. "I am not inclined to trust anyone associated with Naraku."

"We can trust them," Kagome cut in. "They'll help us. Besides...we really need it after the information we found out yesterday."

Kagome began to expand upon the newly-discovered goal of Naraku as she explained who her mother was and the previous connection she'd had to the evil hanyo, which was now resulting in her potential resurrection. Inuyasha was surprised to see Sesshomaru's typical stoic expression morph into something akin to uneasiness.

"I see," he mused. "How likely is it that we will see Kikyo tomorrow?"

"I don't know," Kagome replied. "But...I think it's a possibility. If Urasue is as powerful as we've heard, I think it's possible."  
Inuyasha reached out to take her hand. "Maybe it is possible," he admitted before turning his attention on Sesshomaru. "But I think it's very unlikely."

Sesshomaru frowned. "The horror stories of Urasue are all true, Inuyasha. I believe that if the witch tries her hardest, she would be able to do it, especially with a soul as powerful as Kagome's. We need to be prepared for anything." He set his gaze on Kagome. " _You_ need to be prepared." Kagome nodded before her eyes dropped to her lap.

"So now we gotta fight some zombie priestess?" Koga cut in. "That is _not_ what my wolves and I signed up for! I want vengeance against Naraku, not a front row seat to all this family drama!"

Inuyasha began to stand up with his fists clenched. "You wanna repeat that or would you rather I just carve your tongue out now?"

Koga growled and began to stand up as well, bracing himself for a fight.

"Enough," Sesshomaru commanded calmly. "There will be no fighting among us. We will see enough of it tomorrow." Inuyasha glared at Koga, but sat back down next to Kagome.

Koga bowed apologetically to Sesshomaru before sitting down as well, obviously furious but unable to disobey the orders of the daiyoukai.

"So what?" Koga asked curtly. "We have to kill a zombie first and then I can slice and dice Naraku?"

Kagome tensed next to Inuyasha before she took a deep breath.

"I'll be facing her," she announced. "I need to do it. But, Koga, it'll be the same as last time. Inuyasha and I need to be the ones to end Naraku."

Koga scoffed. "Yeah, because that worked out _so_ well at his castle."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, wishing he could land one solid punch on Koga just to shut him up for even one minute.

"Go for Goshinki," Inuyasha said. "He can read minds but you're probably fast enough even without jewel shards to defeat him."

Koga scowled. "There's no _probably_ about it, mutt. I'll kill him."

Inuyasha huffed before continuing to explain. "Byakuya and Goshinki are the only two reincarnations we need to destroy. There's also Suikotsu. I think we can take them all."

Sesshomaru nodded. "You said there are reincarnations that will help us. Which are they?"

"Kagura and Kanna," Inuyasha replied. "They're the only women, so they'll be easy to distinguish. Kagura is a wind sorceress, so it might be best if the Thunder Brothers help her out. Kagura and Kanna weren't sure how, but they're going to figure out some way to help us."

They all continued to plan how they would go about fighting as they decided on who would fight which youkai as well as how to pave the way for Inuyasha and Kagome to get to Naraku.

The possibility of Kikyo being resurrected wasn't brought up again, but Inuyasha knew it was in the back of everyone's minds.

The group talked long into the night until everyone felt confident about their plan for the coming battle. When everyone dispersed to prepare for the night's rest, Inuyasha subtly tugged Kagome's hand so she would follow him off to a more private part of the forest.

The captain and the hanyo needed to make their own plan for how to destroy Naraku. It would come down to them, and they needed to be ready.

Once they were a good distance away, they sat down on the ground across from each other.

The unease in Kagome's eyes was still present from the night before, but she seemed different. There was a distance in her eyes, a dissociative type of acceptance that Inuyasha had never seen in her.

"So," Kagome finally said. "How should we do this?"

Inuyasha wasn't expecting her to want to jump in like that, but she hadn't earned her strong reputation as the feared Captain Higurashi for nothing.

_It feels like that was forever ago,_ Inuyasha realized as he looked into Kagome's stormy blue eyes. _I can't believe I spent my whole life without her…_

"Let's just take a minute," Inuyasha suggested as he tugged her closer. He stretched his legs out in front of him before tugging Kagome down to lay her head on his lap.

Her eyes fluttered closed as he began running his claws through her hair. They'd all been bathing in nearby rivers during their travels, so her hair was devoid of its usual rough and salty sensations. It felt smoother and a little softer, and Inuyasha found himself missing her usual salty scent and the beachy texture of her hair.

They sat there quietly for a few moments. When Kagome's eyes finally opened, she smiled up at Inuyasha.

It was a small smile, one born from a small portion of peace amidst an overwhelming flood of chaos.

Inuyasha returned the smile and continued his slow strokes through her hair.

"Kaede used to tell me about my parents," Kagome said. "How they met...how my mother changed when she met my father. My mother was desperate to find a hanyo, just like I was. She fell in love with her hanyo, just like I fell in love with mine."

Kagome closed her eyes again and sighed. "If my fate is to be the same as my mother's, I'll have been glad you were the hanyo in my story."

Inuyasha's claws froze in her hair.

"Kagome," he said. "Don't talk like that. I already told you neither of us are gonna die, so don't even bother preparing for it."

Kagome didn't respond as she sat up. The fear that he'd seen in her eyes was now glossed over by a look of saddened determination.

"Let's just figure out what we're going to do tomorrow," she replied curtly. "How are we going to attack Naraku this time?"

Inuyasha looked at her, waiting for her to say something, _anything_ , more, but she just stared at him expectantly.

He finally sighed in defeat. "I can use the Wind Scar. That took out the evil in Tokajin. Naraku is definitely stronger, but I think the Wind Scar will work against him, too."

Kagome nodded. "With my arrow combined with your Wind Scar, we can take him down. It's just a matter of reaching him through...everyone else."

He knew she meant her mother, so Inuyasha just moved behind her, pulling her lean back on his chest with his legs coming up around her.

He leaned forward and placed several kisses down the side of her neck before nuzzling his face in her hair.

She still smelled like _Kagome_ , just with regular water rather than sea water. She sighed and turned her head to touch his nose to her cheek; he kissed it before wrapping his arms a little tighter around her.

"We face our destiny tomorrow," she murmured.

Inuyasha nodded against her. "We'll fulfill the prophecy. We'll destroy Naraku."

Kagome turned in his arms to face him, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck.

They both moved at the same time as their lips collided.

Kagome tangled her fingers in his hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

He kissed her desperately as he gently moved her to lay down on her back. The hanyo moved to rest on top of her as she tugged him down to mold his body to hers.

The feel of her pressed against him was familiar and comforting, and Inuyasha took a moment to pretend they were back on the ship in their bed with all the time in the world to hold each other.

"Inuyasha," Kagome breathed as he moved his attentions to her neck. He pressed long, lingering kisses to the sensitive skin of her throat. Kagome hooked one of her feet around his ankle and tugged him down and closer to her.

As their desperate kisses continued, Inuyasha found he couldn't tell where he ended and she began.

Her fingers scorched his skin as she moved against him more heatedly than he could ever remember her doing. He held her closer, never wanting to let her go.

Inuyasha moved his hands up and down the sides of her body, memorizing the feel of her in his hands.

He felt a wetness creep onto his cheeks and knew Kagome was crying again. She kissed him deeper, and Inuyasha knew the best way he could comfort her was to let her take what she needed.

So he kept his body on hers, meeting her every move and every kiss with his own.

She finally broke away from his lips to pull him down to lay completely over her as she buried her face in his neck.

Inuyasha placed several more lingering kisses to the top of her head before he rolled slightly to the side to cradle her against him.

He kept her tightly clutched to his chest as she steadied her breathing. He ran his claws up and down her back gently as she kept her face buried against him.

When the scent of her tears had lessened almost completely, Inuyasha pulled back to look down at her.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you," she murmured back.

The couple fell asleep next to each other after laying together in silence. Kagome's hand stroked his cheek a final time before her blue eyes closed after meeting his gold ones for the last time that night.

Inuyasha stayed awake a little longer, gently running his hand up and down her arm before succumbing to slumber himself.

The call to war was getting louder by the second.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome woke up the next morning simultaneously dreading and eager for the day's events.

_The day's 'events,'_ she repeated to herself. _I say that as if it were a game or a fun family reunion. I suppose this_ is _a reunion of sorts, but it certainly isn't a fun one._

Inuyasha stayed by her side as they all ate breakfast and made their final preparations for the day. The hanyo only parted from her to change into his Robe of the Fire Rat, at which Kgaome couldn't fight her smile.

She really did like how he looked in it.

Sesshomaru walked over to her, looking regal as ever with a determined glint in his eyes.

"Are you ready?" he asked the captain and the hanyo.

They nodded.

It was time for war.

To be continued...


	22. The Final Battle

**Chapter 22: The Final Battle**

The large group was silent as they walked. Inuyasha knew they would be able to seek out Kagura and Kanna's auras, and that would be how they found Naraku.

Kagome was walking by his side, her brow furrowed in concentration.

He wondered what she would look like when all of this was over.

He'd seen Kagome peaceful, like when she was wrapped in his arms in their bed at night or right after a good kiss. Her eyes would shine and her mouth would turn up into a soft smile.

Inuyasha wondered how much more of that he would see once they defeated Naraku.

He reached for her hand as they walked. Kagome grabbed onto it tightly as she laced her fingers with his.

They didn't speak, but they didn't need to.

Sesshomaru was the first to break the silence.

"I'm picking up on an aura ahead," the daiyoukai announced. "I believe we are getting close."

Inuyasha picked up on the aura a moment later and nodded. "It's Kagura. Is everyone ready?"

The group behind him nodded.

When they'd made their plan for the battles, they'd paired off everyone to fight each individual adversary.

The Thunder Brothers would go with Kagura to fight against Suikotsu, while Sesshomaru as well as Shigeru and his monkey sprites would take on Byakuya.

Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Hachi would follow behind Kagome and Inuyasha and wait outside Naraku's cave just in case they needed reinforcements. Inuyasha knew that things could get dangerous and that injuries were very possible, so Miroku and Sango would be there to help during the aftermath. Hachi could fly them wherever they needed, so they were confident with their plan of action.

Due to Koga's speed, he would be taking on Goshinki with his wolves.

Speaking of wolves, Kagome nudged Inuyasha and nodded over to Koga and Ayame.

Koga's arm was around Ayame as she smiled up at him before they shared a small kiss.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Well, I guess they're together now," he noted. "Wonder how that happened."

Kagome laughed quietly. "At least there's something nice to see before this fight."

Inuyasha looked up at the morning sun. It was just after daybreak; they'd all wanted to set off early.

_Tonight is the new moon,_ he thought to himself. _I hope this fight will end before dusk._

"Kagome," he murmured. When she glanced up at him, he frowned. "Tonight is the new moon."

Kagome squeezed his hand. "I know. We just need to be optimistic. Let's try to end this as soon as possible." Inuyasha nodded, but her words only partially soothed his troubled mind.

Inuyasha and Kagome would be facing Naraku on their own, as well as whatever Urasue had managed to create from Kagome's soul. The more Inuyasha thought about it, the more he was inclined to agree with Sesshomaru. If the daiyoukai said the rumors of how powerful the witch was were true, there was a very real possibility that they would be facing Kikyo.

Inuyasha could tell that Kagome was thinking about it, too, and that it was weighing heavily on her.

"We'll defeat Naraku," Inuyasha murmured to her. "I know we will."

O.o.O.o.O

Naraku frowned as he picked up on a large group of demonic auras nearby.

He was safely tucked away in the cave with Urasue and Byakuya, while Kagura and Kanna waited outside the cave with Suikotsu and Goshinki.

Kagura said that the captain and the hanyo would arrive with their little posse of vigilantes that day, so he had them stationed out front to keep them all out until Urasue finished the resurrection.

Naraku walked over to Urasue as she worked. That final threat had done it; she was finally unleashing her full power that she'd been hiding. Naraku was hoping that the resurrection would be finished by the time Inuyasha and Kagome arrived with their group.

"How much longer?" he demanded. The approaching auras were making him eager for Urasue to finish quickly.

Urasue glared at him. "You can't rush the dead." Naraku frowned and waved her off.

"Kagura," Naraku called. When the wind sorceress appeared, Naraku began his instructions.

"I want you all to divide off. Keep them at bay for as long as possible. This foolish witch is taking much longer than I expected. Perhaps I should carve her heart out when the ritual is finished…"

Urasue grimaced, but said nothing.

"I'll take Kanna with me," Kagura said immediately.

Naraku paused. _Kagura isn't arguing with me about her instructions? And she_ wants _Kanna to depart with her?_

"Kanna will remain with me," Naraku replied suspiciously. "What are you hiding, Kagura? You've never been one to eagerly follow directions, let alone follow those directions with your 'creepy' sister, as you put it."

Kagura rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I hate being around that disgusting witch. I would rather be anywhere else."

Naraku observed her for a moment, his suspicions never ceasing.

"I do still have your heart, Kagura," Naraku reminded her. "I could squeeze the life out of you _very_ easily."

Kagura shrugged as she left the cave. "Tell me something I don't know."

Naraku frowned at her until she was gone. He turned to Kanna and watched her for a moment.

As usual, she had a blank expression on her face. Nothing seemed amiss with her, so Naraku wondered what could be going through her mind.

_I should have kept Kagura's heart with me instead of hiding it back at the new mansion,_ Naraku scolded himself. _Then I would be able to read her mind…_

Finally, he shook his head and directed his attention back to Urasue.

_It is not important. I will have what I want soon enough. Then nothing else will matter._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagura wasted no time in transforming her feather.

"I'm going up ahead," she informed Goshinki, Byakuya, and Suikotsu. "Naraku said to divide individually to fight them off for as long as possible, so wait a little while before joining me." She tried to sound more convincing than she had at the cave; she had a sinking feeling that Naraku was suspicious of her, but she hoped she would still be able to help defeat him.

With the others staying behind for the time being, Kagura raced off in the direction of Inuyasha and Kagome's group.

When she reached them, she saw they were waiting for her.

"Hey," Kagura greeted as she hopped off the feather. "It's just me. Naraku made Kanna stay behind with him."

"That's fine," Kagome replied. "We're all ready. We'll fill you in on our plan."

Kagura tried to keep up with what Kagome was telling her, but there were so many youkai that it was hard to keep up.

"I'm sorry, Kagura," Kagome said. "I know it's a lot to hear at once." Kagura shook her head.

"Don't worry about me," she replied firmly. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to destroy Naraku."

Kagome nodded. "You'll be with Hiten and Manten. They're the Thunder Brothers, so I figured teaming up with the wind would be the best option."

"Okay, good," Kagura replied.

"You guys will be taking on Suikotsu," Kagome explained. "Is that alright with you?" Kagura nodded.

"Yeah, I can take him," she said. "I've spent the last few months with him, so I know how to bring him down."

They finished their plan before splitting up into their groups.

"I planned it so they'll be coming one-by-one," Kagura said as they got into formation. "The three of them won't be together at all during this battle. Each group can take one on while the others continue to their own adversary."

"That's excellent," Kagome said. "Thank you, Kagura. We really appreciate it."

Kagura nodded. "Are we ready?"

"We're ready," Kagome confirmed. "Everyone, break off."

The group did as she said and parted, leaving Kagura with two youkai walking over to her.

"We're the Thunder Brothers," a reptilian-like youkai said. "I'm Manten." Kagura nodded in greeting.

"I'm Hiten," the more human-like youkai said. "Thunder, lighting, and wind. Sounds like a good combination, huh?"

Kagura nodded, but couldn't help the slight distraction Hiten caused in her. His eyes were red, just like hers, and the spear in his hands radiated power.

There was a fierceness in his eyes, one that Kagura wanted to learn more about. He smiled at her, his smirk confident, but not arrogant. He seemed sure of himself, but not cocky.

Kagura had never met a youkai that didn't look at her like a monster from the get-go.

The younger brother, Manten, also smiled at her, but he didn't look into her soul like it seemed Hiten did.

If Kagura's heart had still been in her chest, she knew it would have been beating erratically.

"Let's move out," Hiten said as he began to walk toward the cave in which Naraku was hiding. "We've got a Band of Seven member to kill, yeah? I'll bet you're ready to be rid of him."

Kagura nodded. "Yes, but we need to be careful. I never know what to expect from him."

Hiten grinned. "I bet we can take him."

They set off, ready to face the coming fight.

o.O.o

It didn't take long to find Suikotsu, and Kagura was more than ready to face him.

She was surprised at how well she worked with the Thunder Brothers; she'd never fought with anyone that seemed eager to fight at her side like Hiten and Manten did.

Kagura was the one to deliver the final blow.

" _Dance of Blades!"_

It hit Suikotsu head-on, and after he'd been struck by the power of the Thunder Brothers in addition to Kagura's wind, the last hit had done him in.

Kagura took the jewel shard from his neck and put it inside her kimono for safe keeping.

_I guess I'll need to give this to Kagome,_ she mused. _I can't_ wait _for her to kill Naraku..._

"You're an impressive fighter."

Kagura turned around to see Hiten smiling at her.

"Thanks," Kagura replied. "So are you guys."

Manten joined his brother at his side and inclined his head at Kagura. "We're not surprised, though. Weather elementals are the best kind of youkai, in our opinion."

Kagura laughed lightly.

It surprised her, though. She'd never laughed out of true mirth…

"What do you plan on doing after Naraku is defeated?" Hiten asked.

Kagura paused. _I haven't even thought about that. I'll stick with Kanna, but where will we go?_

"I don't know," Kagura admitted. "My sister and I haven't talked about it yet."

Hiten smiled. "Why don't you come with us? We have extra rooms in our home. There's plenty of space for two more youkai."

Kagura had never cried before; she didn't even think she was capable of it.

But if she really stopped to think about the kindness she was being shown, she knew that tears would come.

So she just smiled instead. "I would appreciate that. Thank you."

They soon set off in the direction of the cave to wait for Inuyasha and Kagome.

Kagura didn't miss how Hiten seemed to drift toward her as they walked, and in his eyes, she thought she was starting to see a future.

_Please destroy Naraku, Inuyasha and Kagome. Please rid the world of his evil._

O.o.O.o.O

Koga took a deep breath as Goshinki lay headless on the ground.

He'd been a tough opponent with his mind-reading, but Koga and the wolves' speed and numbers got them out alive.

Koga looked around and saw that they hadn't lost any of their pack, so he was grateful for that.

He felt a hand take his, causing him to glance down at the red-haired wolf beside him.

Ayame smiled up at him and squeezed his hand.

Koga wasn't sure how it happened. After the confrontation at Naraku's castle and Ayame saving his life, he began to see her as _more_ than just the comrade that had a no-so-secret love for him.

Koga realized he wanted to spend all of his days returning the love and devotion she showed him, and since that moment, they'd been inseparable.

"Wolves," Koga called. "Let's move out. This fight has been won."

As they began to walk to the cave Kagura mentioned, Koga hoped the battle with Naraku was yielding positive results.

If it didn't...well, he refused to think about that.

With Ayame at his side and his wolves behind him, Koga led them off and into the arms of fate.

O.o.O.o.O

Sesshomaru flew with the monkeys close behind him. They were after Byakuya, who would hopefully be a rather easy target.

The daiyoukai had to admit that it was odd flying without Jaken holding onto his mokomoko, but he stood by his decision to leave the imp back at his castle to keep things running.

They soared around Suikotsu without being noticed and soon came upon Byakuya, who was keeping watch from his floating paper crane.

"Ah, you've arrived," Byakuya said as Sesshomaru and the monkeys approached. "I must say, I'm honored to meet the daiyoukai. It's a shame you'll have to die on the same day we meet."

Sesshomaru frowned. "Tell me, what do you gain from Naraku?"

Byakuya smiled politely. "I am simply his reincarnation. I have no need for gain of my own. I should like to return to Naraku, though, so I ask that we finish this quickly."

Sesshomaru pulled out his Bakusaiga and wasted no time in lunging at Byakuya.

The reincarnation was quick and dodged the attack.

The young monkey sprites set off a barrage of little toys, much to Sesshomaru's dismay.

It did nothing to hinder Byakuya's movements, and the reincarnation was able to attack them easily.

With a flick of his wrist, Byakuya took control of the monkey sprites' bodies, rendering them unconscious before telepathically tossing them off to the side.

Byakuya lowered his wrist and smiled. "Now it will just be the grown-ups fighting."

Shigeru ran off to check on his sprites, leaving Sesshomaru to face Byakuya on his own.

The daiyoukai frowned.

_It is of no matter. I will do this on my own._

Byakuya inclined his head politely at Sesshomaru as he pulled a gourd from his sleeve.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, unable to determine what exactly could be in the gourd or what its purpose could be.

He was curious, but he didn't feel compelled to wait around and find out.

Sesshomaru lashed out his poisonous claws at Byakuya and managed to strike him. The reincarnation hissed in pain, but he soon recovered.

_Naraku has gotten stronger,_ Sesshomaru mused silently. _I wasn't expecting his reincarnation to be so skilled._

They were soon engaged in a fierce battle, neither of them being able to truly harm the other.

Until Byakuya suddenly yelped in pain.

Sesshomaru frowned and didn't let up on his attacks; he kept going after Byakuy head-on, taking advantage of whatever problem the reincarnation was having.

Suddenly, Byakuya's left arm disintegrated off of his body.

That made Sesshomaru pause.

Byakuya looked at his arm curiously and hummed.

"I see," he murmured. "The final battle has begun."

Sesshomaru frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Byakuya pulled out the gourd and opened it, allowing several snakes to slither out and launch at Sesshomaru.

When one of them managed to bite Sesshomaru's arm, he felt a small pinch of poison enter his body.

"You fool," Sesshomaru said as he yanked the snake off of him. "I am a poison youkai. You cannot use this tactic on me."

Byakuya frowned and went to move again, but his right arm disintegrated exactly as his left one had. His gourd dropped to the ground, useless.

Sesshomaru, typically stoic, couldn't keep his eyes from widening in surprise.

"What's happening to you?" Sesshomaru asked. "Why are your limbs disappearing?"

Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment.

"I have an unusual connection to Naraku," Byakuya explained. "When he is injured, I am injured. The hanyo must be doing some damage if I'm being harmed at this magnitude."

Sesshomaru hummed. _So this is Inuyasha's doing...I'm impressed. Naraku is a fool for connecting himself with his reincarnation like this._

The daiyoukai planned his next move carefully.

_With him incapacitated like this, I can deliver the finishing blow._

"If only it were revered," Sesshomaru said as he swung the Bakusaiga at Byakuya. "It would be much better if Naraku were harmed whenever you were."

The reincarnation didn't scream when Sesshomaru landed the final hit on him.

Byakuya simply closed his eyes as he disintegrated from the power of Sesshomaru's sword.

Then he was gone.

The daiyoukai sheathed his sword and walked over to the monkeys to see if they were all right.

"Byakuya is slain," Sesshomaru announced when he came upon Shigeru. The three monkey sprites were still unconscious, but with Byakuya dead, Sesshomaru figured they would regain consciousness soon.

Shigeru inclined his head. "I apologize that we were not much help, my lord. The sprites are like my children, and…"

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Do not apologize. I understand. What matters is that we completed our part of the mission."

He helped Shigeru rise from the ground before picking up the monkey sprites and getting them settled on his mokomoko.

"We must go meet the others at the location Kagura discussed," Sesshomaru announced. "We will wait there until Inuyasha and Kagome are finished."

As they flew off, Sesshomaru took a final glance at where Byakuya had once stood and dared himself to be cautiously optimistic about what was going on with Inuyasha and Naraku.

He refused to be anything else.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha and Kagome wasted no time in rushing toward the cave from which they felt Naraku's aura.

Kagura had told them where exactly the cave was, so they, along with Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Hachi, had run off from the group and headed straight for Naraku.

When they found the cave, Kagome and Inuyasha entered as the others waited outside in case they needed back-up.

Upon entering, they saw that Naraku was waiting there for them, obviously having already known they were coming. Kanna was standing silently at his side, her mirror clutched in her hands as always.

"Ah, the captain and the hanyo," he cooed. "The prophecy has come. It's such a shame it won't unfold."

Inuyasha growled. "Shut up, Naraku. You're gonna die today."

Naraku laughed. "Am I? I seem to recall some very unfortunate events the last time we had a confrontation, correct?"

"Not today," Kagome said firmly. "Destiny wasn't then. It's _now."_

Naraku smiled again. "Is that really what you think? I beg to differ."

Before either of them could react, Naraku rose above Kagome and Inuyasha as long, tentacle-like tendrils shot out from his body like a deadly octopus.

The tendrils were razor-sharp like swords, and given the sadistic grin on Naraku's face, Inuyasha knew he wouldn't hesitate to use them as such.

"I can't have all the fun, though," Naraku said as he flexed a few tentacles. "There's a guest here that would _love_ to see Kagome."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked at Kagome.

_We're too late...Kikyo has already been revived…_

"Urasue was such a troublesome woman," Naraku said. "I killed her as soon as she brought Kikyo back. Honestly, the witch should've expected it. I can't have any loose ends that might need tying up later on."

Inuyasha took Kagome's hand and gave it a quick squeeze..

Kagome nodded, so Inuyasha unsheathed his sword and lunged at Naraku.

"Careful, Inuyasha!" Kagome called as she slipped past. "He has the jewel!"

As Naraku looked down at him without even giving Kagome a second glance, Inuyasha wondered just how right Naraku might be about their fight ending badly.

"Kanna," Inuyasha said urgently. "Get out of here! Go find Kagura!"

Naraku laughed. "Kanna feels nothing and listens only to me. She will not seek out Kagura, the traitor. In fact, Kanna, go retrieve Kagura's heart and bring it to me. It's time I end her."

"No."

Naraku froze at the small voice.

"What did you just say?" he asked. Kanna looked at him.

"No," she repeated. "I will retrieve her heart, but I will not bring it to you. I will take it to Kagura." Inuyasha couldn't help the smirk that came onto his face at Kanna's defiance.

Kanna glared at Naraku and threw her mirror on the ground, shattering it into pieces.

"You no longer control me," Kanna droned, the faintest hint of emotion slowly moving into her voice. "The mirror is gone."

"You ungrateful wench!" Naraku shouted. "I will kill you before I move on to the main event!"

He launched a tentacle at Kanna, but Inuyasha quickly chopped it off.

"Go, Kanna!" Inuyasha shouted as he blocked Naraku's attacks. "I've got you covered."

Kanna nodded and ran from the cave, no doubt to find Kagura.

Naraku growled as Inuyasha prevented him from leaving the cave.

"No matter," Naraku said. "Once you and Kagome are dead, I'll go and slaughter the others."

"No chance," Inuyasha shot back. "This ends now, Naraku."

_I have to focus on the matter at hand,_ he reminded himself. _This is it. We_ will _end it today. I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome ran further into the cave, searching out any other auras for some sign of her mother.

_Not my mother,_ she scolded herself. _I can't think like that or I'll never defeat her._

A startling aura came over her as she continued into the cave.

It felt the exact same as she remembered.

The aura was warm and soft, welcoming and comforting, alive and well. Kagome froze, unable to keep herself from closing her eyes and thinking back to the memories she had of her mother.

She saw her parents singing the youkai lullaby to her at night and the countless times she saw them hold hands, even though it was obviously difficult with her father's webbed fingers.

But there was something off with the aura, something too different to completely fool her. Kagome's portion of the soul was calling out to her body, eager to reunite with the rest of her.

"Kagome?"

Kikyo's perfect voice rang out clearly through the air. Kagome looked around until her eyes finally set on Kikyo emerging from the darkness, dressed in her familiar miko garb and holding the bow Kagome remembered she always carried.

"Kagome, is that you?" Kikyo asked kindly. When she got close enough to Kagome, she smiled.

"My goodness," she breathed. "You've gotten to be so beautiful. You have your father's hair, but my eyes. Always my eyes."

Kagome felt tears in her eyes as her mother spoke.

_It's not her...it's not her...it's not…_

"You have such a strong aura," Kikyo continued gently. "There's so much power in you. Your father would be so proud of you, my Kagome. _I_ am so proud of you."

Kikyo reached out to hug Kagome, and to Kagome's dismay, she couldn't help but fall into her embrace.

Her mother even smelled the same.

"Mother," Kagome murmured, "is it really you? Was the portion of my soul enough to bring you back as yourself or is Naraku controlling you?" She felt her mother laugh gently against her.

"It's me, Kagome," she assured her as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Naraku isn't controlling me. My heart and my mind are my own."

"Oh, Mother," Kagome mumbled against her mother's neck. "I missed you so much. I never knew Naraku killed you until a couple months ago...I'm so sorry."

Kagome felt Kikyo's body shake, and she briefly wondered if her mother had been brought to tears at their reunion.

It was then that Kagome's mind broke free and she realized what exactly was about to happen.

Her instincts kicked in, allowing her to dodge the arrow that her mother was about to dig into her back.

The point had nicked her a bit, and she felt a warm trail of blood start to fall down her back.

"You fool," Kikyo said. "You're so easy to manipulate. I'm sure you'll be just as easy to kill, too."

Kikyo nocked the arrow and let it fly toward Kagome. Despite her shock, Kagome dodged the arrow and landed in a crouch. She grabbed her own bow off her back and an arrow from her quiver.

When she set the arrow up to shoot Kikyo, Kagome faltered.

_I can't do it...I can't harm her._ Kagome grit her teeth. _How could I have thought I could do this?_

Kikyo shot another arrow, which grazed Kagome's arm. Kagome hissed at the sharp bit of pain.

_What am I supposed to do now?_

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha glared up at Naraku.

"Now what?" Inuyasha asked threateningly. "You send Kagome off to find her fake mother and leave me with you. You gonna try to off us one-by-one?"

Naraku smiled and began to slither his way around the cave, his eyes never leaving Inuyasha's.

"Kagome is a smart woman," Naraku commented. "She knows what is real and what is fake. I believe you do, too." He hummed. "But when it comes to family, well...that might not be the case for her here."

Inuyasha growled. "How would you know anything about that? You're born of youkai souls and hatred."

Naraku shrugged casually. "Yes, _Naraku_ is born of youkai souls. But not hatred, no. _Lust."_

Inuyasha grimaced. _Ew…_

"But you see," Naraku continued. "I was once Onigumo. I remember my life as him, up until the day I sold my soul."

Naraku continued to slink around the cave, so Inuyasha remained on his guard, ready to attack at any given point.

"I loved Kikyo," Naraku explained. "Truly, I did. But I _wanted_ her more. I wanted to touch her more than see her every day and have her take care of me. Even after I became Naraku, I still wanted her in the way I could never have her."

Inuyasha frowned. "So, what? You're gonna marry a dirt body barely being kept alive by a stolen part of someone's soul?"

Naraku chuckled. "Perhaps she is like that right now, but once Kikyo kills Kagome, the rest of Kagome's soul will be drawn to Kikyo's new body. Urasue is dead, but I absorbed her power into my body. Once the entirety of Kagome's soul is in Kikyo's new body, she will be mine again."

Inuyasha glared at him. "Kagome won't die by that fake Kikyo's hand." Naraku laughed.

"You really think Kagome can kill her own mother?" he asked. "You know as well as I do that Kagome will not be able to win that fight. Now all that's left is to kill _you._ Then I'll finally have what I've wanted for fifty years."

Naraku slowly brought up one of his tentacles. When he had it in his grip, he smiled at Inuyasha.

"Perhaps you and Kagome will be happy together in the afterlife. Who knows?"

With that, Naraku ripped the tentacle off and threw it at Inuyasha.

The hanyo jumped out of the way, just barely missing the makeshift weapon.

And so the battle began.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome picked herself up from the ground and tried to steady her breathing.

She'd spent the entire confrontation with her mother just dodging attacks instead of sending her own.

Every time Kagome went to shoot an arrow, her mother would look at her with the same loving expression Kagome remembered.

Then an arrow would almost strike Kagome, or even would.

She'd been struck a few times. None of the grazes were bad, but she could smell the blood coming from her arms and one from her side. Kagome clenched a wound on her abdomen to try and stifle the bleeding for at least a moment.

Kikyo was relentless, though, and continued launching arrows at her without mercy.

Finally, Kagome just stopped dodging.

She dropped her bow and quiver and fell to her knees.

_As long as she doesn't hit my heart,_ Kagome realized, _I won't die. I can't do this anymore. I need to just try and get out of here and back to Inuyasha. We'll destroy Naraku together and then figure out what to do about my mother._

Kagome curled into a ball, making sure to cover her vital organs. Getting hit by a barrage of arrows would hurt, but she would rather go through that than kill her mother.

She felt a few arrows hit her and strike deeply. One arrow lodged in her arm and another grazed her ear. She felt a pool of blood trickle down the side of her face, and she briefly wondered if her ear was still attached.

Kagome tried to figure out what to do next.

_Maybe I can stop her without having to hurt her...but how?  
_

Kagome thought back to when Byakuya and Kagura complained about her soul being difficult to harvest or too large to fit in the mirror.

An idea came to her.

She waited until the next series of arrows shot toward her before looking up. Kikyo seemed surprised at the sudden eye contact, so Kagome used it to her advantage.

She focused on the body in front of her and tried to find the spot where the soul was.

A soft, barely noticeable light appeared as Kagome looked harder for it.

_If I can reach that spot,_ Kagome realized, _I can take the piece of my soul back._

Kagome moved before Kikyo could nock another arrow. She tapped into all of her speed and grabbed Kikyo by the arm with one hand and used her other hand to thrust into her chest.

Kikyo screamed as Kagome's hand entered her body, and a red, muddy sludge began to fall from the wound.

Kagome winced at the texture; it was blood, but it was mixed with dirt.

_This is a good sign, though,_ Kagome noted _. Blood means an injury. Injury can mean death._

Kagome closed her eyes and focused on Kikyo's body before she felt something warm against her hand. She grabbed onto it as tightly as possible and yanked it from Kikyo's body.

With a final scream, Kikyo collapsed.

When the sound of her scream faded, all that was left of her was dirt and a vacant set of miko garb.

Kagome allowed the portion of her soul to flow back into her body, and with it came a new wave of strength. Kagome wiped the blood from her skin before taking a deep breath.

She couldn't help the few tears that escaped as she took in the sight of her mother's second death.

_But it wasn't her...not really._

Kagome felt something else exit Kikyo's body before disintegrating in the air and recognized it as some of Naraku's own power.

_He really_ was _desperate to have her..._

Kagome brushed the rest of her tears away before running back the way she came to rejoin Inuyasha.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha could tell Naraku wasn't holding back.

The massive youkai was fighting differently than he had at his castle, and Inuyasha could tell he'd increased his strength.

He was fighting more toward the death, in a desperate sort of way that told Inuyasha that Naraku was ready to end things once and for all.

And so was Inuyasha.

He'd pulled out the Tessaiga as soon as Naraku began attacking. Inuyasha chopped off countless tentacles but they all grew back in a matter of seconds.

_How am I supposed to cut these things off if they just grow back?_ Inuyasha wondered urgently. His eyes widened. _I can't cut them off...I need to aim at Naraku from his source._

Inuyasha frowned. Naraku's tentacles were shielding his body, and there was no way Inuyasha could get rid of them.

_I can use the Wind Scar. That'll do it._

Inuyasha gripped his sword tightly. He took a deep breath and swung.

" _Wind Scar!"_

The powerful attack ripped through the air and assaulted Naraku.

The massive youkai shouted in pain, and Inuyasha dared to believe that might have been all it took to kill him.

_Of course it wasn't…_

When the smoke from the attack cleared, Inuyasha saw that he'd managed to completely destroy a few tentacles, but there were still countless ones around Naraku's body. Any other ones the Wind Scar had cut just grew back.

Inuyasha's eyes widened.

_If the Wind Scar doesn't work, what will?_

He went back to just dodging attacks from Naraku. As he did so, he wondered if Kagome was alright.

_She'll make it out,_ he tried to assure himself. _We_ both _will._

Because he couldn't fathom a world without Kagome.

Knowing that the rest of their lives depended on this very battle sent a fierce surge of protectiveness through him.

All of this, everything he was doing, was because of her, because he _loved_ her so deeply.

Kagome.

_Kagome taught me how to smile._

_More than that...she taught me to believe in people._

_Kagome was the reason I was able to make friends, and rely on those friends._

_Kagome came into this world to be with me, and I was born for her as well._

A strong resolve washed over him, more intense than anything he'd ever felt.

His whole life made sense in that one moment. _Everything_ made sense in that one moment.

They would make it out alive. He could feel it in his bones. This was the defining moment.

He went to aim Tessaiga again, but a bright light shot out from the sword before he could swing.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, and even Naraku paused for a moment.

A new power coursed through the blade as it shone a bright beam of light.

The blade became brilliant, as if it were made of the finest diamonds.

"What…"

Inuyasha cut himself off when a powerful instinct filled him. The words came to him on a whim, much like the Wind Scar had.

_Kongosoha...Adamant Barrage…_

With wide eyes and a new power, Inuyasha swung the sword at Naraku.

" _Adamant Barrage!"_

Naraku yelled as spears of adamant shot from Inuyasha's sword. The spears pierced his body and embedded themselves in his tentacles.

The spears were strong enough that they ripped off a vast majority of the tentacles he was previously unable to slice, and hope soared from Inuyasha's chest.

There was something else within him, something right under the surface that he couldn't quite name.

All he knew was that he needed Kagome by his side.

As Naraku was recovering from the harsh attack, Kagome appeared from deeper within the cave.

Inuyasha nearly collapsed with relief at the sight of her.

There was a good amount of blood on her, but Inuyasha could tell that most of it wasn't hers.

Kagome's eyes went wide when she saw the damage on Naraku.

"You did that to him?" she asked Inuyasha in awe.

Inuyasha gripped his sword. "Yeah, and I'm about to do it again. Check this out, Kagome."

Inuyasha swung the sword. " _Adamant-_ oof!"

He was cut off by one of Naraku's remaining tentacles. It caught him by complete surprise; he went flying back and slammed against a wall of the cave.

He heard Kagome nock an arrow and let it fly at Naraku. The sound of Naraku's body being purified was encouraging, but Inuyasha was in a lot more pain than he expected.

_What's going on with me?_ he wondered. _I was fine a little while ago…_

Inuyasha picked himself up and gripped the Tessaiga again. Kagome was purifying Naraku's tentacles as quickly as she could, but they were still surrounding her at an alarming pace.

Inuyasha sliced through the closest ones with his sword, but the amount of them was innumerous.

"Stand back," Kagome told Inuyasha firmly. Without questioning her command, Inuyasha jumped back and watched as she nocked another arrow.

Her power lit up the cave as she let her arrow fly.

Once it hit Naraku, almost all of his tentacles disintegrated.

Kagome took advantage of the evil youkai's distraction.

"I didn't want to hit you with that," Kagome called as Inuyasha rejoined her. "You alright?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Kikyo?"

Kagome winced. "Gone." Inuyasha nodded again, knowing that it was a topic they would discuss later.

Naraku's shouts of pain subsided a moment later when he was left with only a handful of remaining tentacles. It was obvious he was weakening, and Inuyasha wondered what had changed in him.

"Did you kill Kikyo?" Naraku demanded, his attention going solely to Kagome.

Kagome looked at him fiercely. "I killed your _imitation_ of her. I gotta say, I was surprised at how much of your own power you put in her. You must be feeling pretty weak now, huh?"

Naraku glared at her murderously. "You foolish girl! I'll kill you both!"

Inuyasha gripped the sword, but his gut told him that the Adamant Barrage wouldn't work.

He'd felt something underlying within him earlier, and now that Kagome was there, it was all starting to make sense.

"We have to do this together," Inuyasha said as he turned to Kagome. "I'm gonna attack him, and I want you to shoot an arrow through the middle of the attack, okay?"

Kagome nodded firmly and nocked an arrow.

Inuyasha braced himself and looked at Naraku, who was growing paler by the second.

If Kagome was correct about the power he'd put into Kikyo, her second death did a lot more damage to Naraku than it seemed like he was expecting.

Inuyasha tapped into the power he knew lay dormant inside him.

He welcomed it into his body, into his heart and soul. Just like it had felt with the Wind Scar and Adamant Barrage, a new power surged through his blood and swam up to the surface.

Inuyasha allowed himself to focus on Naraku's youkai aura.

_Bakuryuha...Backlash Wave..._

The hanyo held onto the hilt of his sword tightly. He nodded at Kagome to let her know he was ready.

And then he swung.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome's jaw dropped as she watched Inuyasha's full power rise in front of her.

" _Backlash Wave!"_

Remembering what he said, Kagome charged a sacred arrow with all the power she could muster before shooting it through the middle of Inuyasha's tunnel-shaped attack.

It was powerful and, in all honesty, _terrifying._

Naraku was quickly fading into oblivion; Kagome could feel his soul being purified by her arrow and his body being ripped apart by Inuyasha's attack.

_The prophecy has come true. We did it._

When the power faded, all that was left of Naraku was the small pink orb.

Kagome hurried over to pick up the Shikon Jewel. She tucked it into her pocket as a bright smile broke onto her face.

"Inuyasha, we did it!" she exclaimed happily. "Naraku is-"

A gasp ripped through her as she turned around to see Inuyasha lying on the ground.

The stench of blood littered the air as it poured from the wound on Inuyasha's chest.

In Naraku's final moment, it appeared he'd made one more desperate attempt on Inuyasha and Kagome's lives.

Kagome ran to his side and dropped down on her knees.

"Inuyasha, can you hear me?" she asked.

Inuyasha groaned and nodded. He tried to move his hand up to the tentacle embedded in his chest, but he could barely move it.

Tears began to fall down Kagome's cheeks as she watched the blood steadily pour from Inuyasha's body.

"You'll be okay," she said firmly. "You'll make it out of here, you hear me? We did it, Inuyasha. We killed Naraku. I'm gonna pull this thing out of you and try to stop the bleeding. It's risky, but you can-"

Inuyasha gently gripped her hand before she could touch the tendril.

"New...moon…"

Kagome's heart fell into the pit of her stomach.

_If I pull out the tendril, he'll bleed even more...as a youkai, he'd probably be fine, but as a human…_

"No," she whispered. "But we...we fulfilled the prophecy."

A sob escaped her lips as she looked down at Inuyasha.

His eyes were on her as he coughed. A small trickle of blood came from the side of his mouth as he struggled to breathe.

"Inuyasha," Kagome begged quietly. "Please...I need you here. I need you with me."

"Ka...go...me," he murmured. "I love you."

Kagome cried harder as she felt him weakly squeeze her hand.

When his hair changed to black and his claws faded a moment later, Kagome looked into his dark eyes and sniffled.

"We have to hurry," she said. "I'll carry you to Sesshomaru. It's gonna hurt like crazy, but we have to hurry."

Inuyasha groaned as his human form completely set in, no doubt from the excruciating pain from the wound in his chest.

Kagome tapped into her strength to pick him up bridal-style and took off.

When they made it outside to where the rest of the group was waiting, a collective gasp rang out from them.

"What happened?" Sango asked.

Kagome waited to reply until she had gently set Inuyasha down.

"We destroyed Naraku," she explained. "But Inuyasha is hurt...badly. He turned human after Naraku attacked him. I brought him here in case...in case…" She cut herself off, not allowing herself to finish the thought.

"We need Sesshomaru," she demanded. "We might need Tenseiga."

When she looked down at Inuyasha to see if he was alright, his eyes had drifted closed.

His skin was a ghostly pale, and a darker shade of red covered his haori as well as Kagome's clothing.

In her rush, the tendril had fallen out of his chest.

"Inuyasha?" she said.

He didn't answer.

He had bled out.

He was gone.

" _No!"_ she screamed.

She looked around until she saw Sesshomaru approach.

"Please save him," she begged as Sesshomaru knelt beside her.

"There are few people I cannot revive," he explained, his voice sounding unbelievably saddened. "Inuyasha...my brother...is one of them. He is too injured. He barely has any blood left. I can't bring him back."

Kagome stared down at Inuyasha's body as Sesshomaru's words rang through her head.

_After everything...he's gone just like that?_

Silent tears fell from Kagome's eyes as she looked away from Inuyasha.

Sango and Miroku came on each side of her to wrap their arms around her. Kagome leaned into them, accepting their comfort as she cried.

All of the wolves behind them knelt in respect, and Kagome could sense the guilt coming from Kagura and, to her surprise, Kanna as well.

"Here's the last shard," Sango said gently. "Kagura brought it. I know it's a bad time, but I wanted to give it to you sooner rather than later." Kagome took the shard and reunited it with the rest of the jewel.

"All of this for the Shikon no Tama," Kagome murmured. For a brief moment, she wondered if she could wish Inuyasha back to life.

She quickly squashed the idea. The jewel doesn't grant that wish.

They'd witnessed it themselves with Kikyo.

Kagome wanted to break the jewel. She wanted to throw it into the depths of hell where it could stay for all eternity.

She wanted...she wanted…

She wanted Inuyasha.

Kagome tossed the jewel onto the ground beside her before setting her hand on Inuyasha's chest.

Only one question rang through her mind.

_Now what?_

She didn't notice that the jewel disappeared a moment later.

O.o.O.o.O

Sesshomaru couldn't move.

He couldn't breathe.

He couldn't _think._

Inuyasha lay in front of him in his human form, with black hair strewn across the miko-youkai's lap as she cried over him.

_Pathetic fool!_ Sesshomaru finally thought, gritting his teeth together. _He has gone and gotten himself killed like a real and true idiot._

The words ran through Sesshomaru's mind, but he felt no true malice.

He felt _sad._

The younger brother he'd tormented his entire life, upon whom he'd rained insults and hatred, was dead.

The younger brother he'd never truly welcomed into his life, never really took the time to get to know, was dead.

And Sesshomaru had never had the chance to apologize.

Now he never would.

The Tenseiga lay silent at his side, which had initially alerted him that it was too late to save Inuyasha. The hanyo's skin had gone paler than he'd ever seen on a person; all the blood from his body was covering his clothing as well as Kagome's.

An unfamiliar burn stung the back of Sesshomaru's eyes, and his vision soon turned blurry.

He heard Kagome continue to cry softly along with her two human comrades, who had come to her side.

The wolves were all kneeling respectfully, as well as Kanna and Kagura, who was still with Hiten and Manten.

Sesshomaru looked back at the lifeless body of his younger brother and felt the guilt and regret wash over him in overwhelming waves.

He found himself setting a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder.

_This is the worst goodbye, Inuyasha...my brother, a hero of this world._

"You two did it," Sesshomaru said quietly. "The prophecy has been fulfilled. The darkness is gone."

Kagome sniffled. "Yes...I just wish it didn't have to be at the cost of his life, my lord." Sesshomaru shook his head.

"Please, refrain from calling me that," Sesshomaru said gently. "We would have been related by marriage one day, of that I was certain. At this point, Kagome, you are family. _Inuyasha_ is family. It just took me a while...too long...to realize."

Kagome reached out and set her hand on Sesshomaru's, which was still resting on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Inuyasha would know that now," she comforted. "He...he would know." Sesshomaru nodded.

The human woman next to Kagome gave her a quick squeeze. "We'll leave you guys alone for a while," she said. "We'll tell everyone to disperse so you can have some time." The human man nodded his agreement and stood up.

Kagome half-smiled at them gratefully before they walked off, leading the rest of the group.

It was then just Kagome and Sesshomaru next to Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru could smell the fresh tears that had begun to fall from Kagome's eyes.

Sesshomaru had known, of course, that she loved him and that Inuyasha loved her as well.

But now, seeing them in such a situation and the absolutely devastated nature of Kagome's aura, Sesshomaru wondered if the power of that love could be enough to save him in itself.

After the feat the pair had just accomplished, Sesshomaru figured anything was possible.

"I will give you some time with him," Sesshomaru said gently as he rose from where he knelt. He set a comforting hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Please come find us when you decide what you would prefer to do with him."

Kagome nodded and patted Sesshomaru's hand. "Thank you, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru heard her sobs start back up when he was far enough away that she probably figured he was out of earshot.

Sesshomaru took a deep breath and continued walking until he could no longer hear her cries.

He would give her those few precious moments of uninterrupted grief.

_Inuyasha…_

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha opened his eyes to see a bright light.

There was no one around him, but at least his body wasn't in pain like it had been before he died.

_Died...I'm dead?_

Inuyasha looked around for some sign of _anything._

"Hello?" he called. "Uh, Kami? Er, Shinigami? Anyone?"

"Inuyasha."

The hanyo jumped and turned around to see Midoriko standing behind him. She had a small smile on her face and seemed much happier than she'd been when he and Kagome saw her at Sango's village.

"Midoriko, hi," Inuyasha greeted kindly. "Where are we?"

"We are at peace, Inuyasha," she replied warmly. "You and Kagome helped me find it."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "But...the jewel…"

"You purified the jewel without even realizing it," Midoriko explained kindly. "The love you and Kagome share, the friendship you and your comrades have, it was too much for the jewel. You eradicated the darkness of Naraku from this world. That in itself was enough to purify the jewel."

"I see," Inuyasha replied. "Kagome...is she okay?" Midoriko's smile turned sad.

"No," she admitted. "She is grieving. She's with you right now, sitting next to your body."

Inuyasha frowned. "Sesshomaru didn't try to revive me? What a jerk." Midoriko shook her head.

"He couldn't," she replied. "You were too gravely injured."

Inuyasha's heart sank. "Oh. So...I'm really gone."

Midoriko smiled. "My remaining life force was in the jewel. It's what kept the jewel alive all these centuries...but now the jewel is gone. I have my life force back."

Inuyasha nodded, pleased to hear the good news amongst his personal heartbreak.

"That life force is yours now."

Inuyasha's eyes widened at her words.

"I...what? But you've been trapped for so long. You can finally have your life back."

Midoriko shook her head. "I am tired. I am ready for peace. But you, Inuyasha...you have so much to live for. Don't you want to get back to your life?"

Kagome's smile and bright eyes came to his mind, and he knew that his choice was made.

It wasn't even a choice. Kagome would never be a choice.

She was every answer for him.

"Yes," he replied. Midoriko put her hands on his shoulders and smiled.

"Kikyo says thank you," she said. "I can hear her now, already." Midoriko dropped her hands and began to drift away from him.

"We will watch over you and Kagome," she promised as her body faded into a brilliant beam of light. "Thank you, Inuyasha."

When Midoriko disappeared, the world went dark again.

But then Inuyasha opened his eyes.

He saw the moonless night.

He saw the stars.

He saw _her._

Kagome.

Inuyasha tried to move but found he was still in more pain than he'd expected.

_I'll probably be sore for a while,_ he realized. _I guess death will do that to you._

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said hopefully.

Inuyasha struggled to focus on her, but when he saw the messy mane of wild hair and the bright blue eyes, everything became clear.

"Kagome," he murmured. "I kinda died."

Her laugh soothed his soul.

"I know, you jerk," she teased, her voice breaking with tears. "What the heck was I supposed to do without you?"

Her voice broke on a sob as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him fully onto her lap.

Inuyasha winced, but did his hardest to hold her as best he could.

"Where are the others?" he asked, his voice muffled slightly by her shirt.

Kagome pulled back to look at him as she smoothed his black hair from his eyes.

"They were giving me some time with you. To, um, say goodbye."

Inuyasha nodded. "Well, they're in for a shock."

Kagome smiled through her tears. "A pretty good shock, I would say. Sesshomaru was really distraught, though, Inuyasha. He would've saved you if he could."

Inuyasha hummed. "Nothing like death to make you bury the hatchet. Maybe...maybe it's time for Sesshomaru and I to have that conversation you've always mentioned."

"I think that's a great idea," Kagome encouraged.

Inuyasha smiled up at her and gently reached to cup her cheek.

"We did it, Kagome," he murmured. "The prophecy...it's finished."

Kagome smiled. "Yeah, it's finally finished. That was a heck of a time, huh?"

Inuyasha gently tugged her down to meet his lips in a kiss.

She kept it light at first, but he _needed_ her.

She gasped when he deepened the kiss.

At the first taste, she melted against him and kissed him back with just as much passion as he offered.

Inuyasha pulled her closer to him as he buried his hand in her wild hair.

_I made it back to her..._

o.O.o

When Inuyasha returned to the others with Kagome supporting him at his side, he wasn't expecting the look of unbridled _relief_ on Sesshomaru's face.

Inuyasha had to lean heavily on Kagome due to the lingering weakness of his human form.

"Inuyasha!" Sango and Miroku cried.

They rushed over to him and Inuyasha hugged them as carefully as possible. Even after all those months on the ship, seeing so many people concerned for his well-being was still something to which he wasn't quite accustomed yet.

But it was definitely growing on him.

Even Koga congratulated him on Naraku's defeat.

"Nice job, mutt," the wolf prince said. "Thank you for avenging my comrades."

Inuyasha nodded. "Thank you for coming today." He looked up to address the whole group.

"Thank you _all_ for coming," he said a bit louder. "We wouldn't have been able to do it without everyone coming together like this."

A loud round of cheers rang out as they celebrated the day's win.

"It's over now," Kagome murmured at his side. Inuyasha smiled at her.

"Yeah...it's over."

The only person that didn't seem joyous was Sesshomaru. Inuyasha saw him off to the side of the group just beyond the treeline of the clearing in which they were gathered.

Inuyasha kissed Kagome's cheek quickly before departing from her side.

He made his way to Sesshomaru as the others continued chattering happily.

"Hey," Inuyasha greeted when he reached the daiyoukai.

Sesshomaru nodded a silent greeting. "Are you well now?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I mean, I'm not dead anymore, so…"

"If I could have saved you, I would have."

Inuyasha nodded. Kagome had said Sesshomaru would have revived him, and he'd believed her.

But hearing it from Sesshomaru himself still surprised him.

"Even though I'm just a half-breed?" Inuyasha joked.

But it wasn't a joke, not really.

"Regardless of heritage," Sesshomaru replied a moment later. "Regardless of youkai status. Regardless of anything but the fact that you and I are brothers."

Inuyasha's eyes widened at Sesshomaru's words and the firm tone in which he said them.

_He really means it...Kagome was right. She's always been right about this._

"Thank you, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said sincerely. "Maybe...maybe we could come visit the castle sometime. We'll probably go straight home to the ship when we all part ways, but I don't see why we couldn't stop by whenever we're up the coast…"

"I will have your quarters cleaned thoroughly," Sesshomaru replied. "I will keep them acceptable for whenever you are there, in addition to your other other human companions."

Inuyasha almost laughed. It sounded more like they were making plans for a serious matter rather than trying to repair a relationship that had been completely broken for the last couple hundred years.

They rejoined the group soon after, but a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder stopped him for a moment.

Sesshomaru's hand was gentle as he touched Inuyasha for the first time.

With wide eyes, Inuyasha turned around to meet Sesshomaru's gaze.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said, "you were the exact hanyo the world needed. I firmly believe no one else could ever be capable of what you accomplished today. Both you _and_ Kagome."

Inuyasha smiled. "Don't go getting all mushy on me now. Dying made me pretty hungry, so let's head back." The ghost of a small smile brushed over Sesshomaru's face too quickly to know if it had really even been there in the first place, but Inuyasha was going to allow himself to believe it had.

Kagome smiled brightly at him when he returned and reached her hand out toward him.

Inuyasha took it and squeezed tightly.

"Koga went hunting," she said as Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her. "He caught a deer and we're eating as soon as it's finished cooking."

Inuyasha smiled. "Talk about a late dinner...it'll be dawn soon." Kagome laughed.

"In that case," she teased, "we'll just call it breakfast."

Inuyasha hugged her close. "Then can we go home afterward?"

Kagome laughed lightly.

"Yes," she replied happily. "Then we'll go home."

_Home._

_Finally._

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome laughed as Inuyasha hit another wrong and very _squeaky_ note.

"It's your claws," she pointed out mirthfully. "They're getting in the way. I told you that you should've picked a wind instrument."

Inuyasha frowned and tried to play the proper note on the violin again.

"Quiet, woman," he scolded. "I'm trying my best here."

Kagome giggled as she grabbed a towel to dry her damp hair. "You know, you could always just sing with me. I love hearing you sing."

Inuyasha blushed. "Uh, that's just for you...when we're alone...and no one else is around."

"Stage fright," she teased lightly. "It's okay. We've all had it."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and attempted to play the note on the violin again but failed all the same.

They'd been back on the ship for a little over a month, and during that time, they'd had a music night with the crew to celebrate their victory nearly every night. Kagome wanted to write a song about their journey to be passed down through the different eras to come.

Peace was already starting to spread slowly as word spread about what happened in Togenkyo as well as the final fight with Naraku. They were nowhere near where they wanted to be, but there was progress, and that's what mattered to them.

Kagome finished drying her hair from her quick swim after music night before laying down in their bed to watch as Inuyasha made another attempt at the violin. They'd written the melody of their song, but finding the right words was proving to be more difficult than they'd expected.

He barely managed to play the note, but he looked proud, so she gave a small round of applause.

"That sounded great," she encouraged. "You're improving."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and set his violin under their bed next to Kagome's cello.

"You're just saying that to get on my good side," he replied as he lay down next to her.

Kagome wasted no time in sliding into his arms.

"Eh, maybe," she replied. "Is it working?"

She could feel him chuckle.

"It's always worked, Kagome."

Kagome smiled and settled her hand on his chest, feeling the familiar beat of his heart.

"Now what?" she asked quietly. "We're traveling in the name of peace to try and calm the tensions between youkai and humans, but what else do you want to do? We can do anything you want."

"We have all the time in the world now," Inuyasha murmured. "I don't care what we do with it, so long as I'm with you."

Kagome hummed. "I feel the same way."

Inuyasha pulled back and sat up a bit to prop his head in his hand.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked.

"Of course," Kagome replied.

Inuyasha reached out with his free hand to brush a lock of wild hair out of her face.

"I always wondered," he began, "what you would look like, what I would see, when there was no race against the clock...when there was no Naraku, no prophecy. Just...life. Just _us."_

Kagome searched his eyes.

"Do you see it now?" she asked softly.

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, and...Kagome, I've never seen anything more amazing than the way you look when your eyes are on me. I want to see that same look on your face every day for the rest of our lives."

There had been a change between them after Naraku was eradicated, a shift that Kagome hadn't been expecting, but certainly wasn't surprised about.

The desperation that had been present between herself and Inuyasha was gone, replaced by a soothing kind of comfort that wrapped around them like a cocoon of peace.

They knew, of course they knew, that they would never be apart again. They would always be together.

Of that, they were certain.

Inuyasha leaned down to kiss her, and Kagome swore it was a kiss she would never forget.

His lips were gentle against hers until the usual fire he lit in her began to increase in its blaze.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer against her body until he was completely covering her in their bed.

The gentle brushes of their lips soon turned into the passionate kisses Kagome had grown to love so much, and she knew that if she ever ran out of air, this would be how she'd want it to happen.

With Inuyasha's hands sliding through her hair, wrapping around her waist, brushing over every inch of her body, Kagome felt that their souls were one.

That _they_ were one.

Then Inuyasha pulled away.

"Marry me?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yes," Kagome replied immediately before pulling him back down to meet her in another kiss.

She didn't know how long they spent there together.

But it didn't matter anymore.

They had all the time in the world.

To be continued...


	23. Epilogue

**Chapter 23: Epilogue**

"Lord Inuyasha, Jinenji is here."

Inuyasha looked up from his desk and nodded at Jaken.

"Thanks," he replied. "You can send him in." Jaken nodded respectfully, but Inuyasha could tell it was more than a little forced. Sesshomaru had given Jaken a good whack to the head the first time Inuyasha had visited the castle after defeating Naraku. As usual, Jaken had insulted his heritage until Sesshomaru said those comments were now off-limits.

"You will refer to him as _Lord_ Inuyasha from this point forward," Sesshomaru had commanded.

Inuyasha smiled at the memory. _It feels so long ago, like several lifetimes have passed since then._

And he supposed that was the truth. Several lives had begun since defeating Naraku.

Miroku and Sango had three children by then, twin daughters and a son.

They'd gottten married a month after Naraku was defeated, and Sango was pregnant with the twins by the time Inuyasha and Kagome got married a mere two months later.

Miroku and Sango decided to settle down in a small town rather than continue to travel with Inuyasha and Kagome on the ship. Inuyasha had to admit he missed his little nieces and nephew, but he knew it was best for them to stay on land while raising their kids. They still got to see them at least once a month; they made it a priority to visit.

As for Kagome and Inuyasha, well, their lives had turned out a little differently.

"Hello, Inuyasha," Jinenji greeted upon entering the room.

Inuyasha smiled at the fellow hanyo. "Jinenji, hi. How are you?"

"I'm well," Jinenji replied. They'd become good friends over the years and tried to meet up every so often. Jinenji had gotten married a few months prior to a kind-hearted human, and they were now expecting their first child.

"How is it going with the council?" Inuyasha asked. "I've only heard a few things, but I figure hearing it from the actual peace ambassador would be more reliable."

Jinenji smiled. "Things are going well. I believe we are back to where we were before tensions grew between youkai and humans."  
Inuyasha nodded. "That's great to hear."

It had been Kagome's idea to create a council. After word had spread of Jinenji as well as what had happened in Togenkyo, the human race's fear of youkai slowly began to lessen. In order to restore peace, Kagome had suggested creating a council made up of human lords and youkai to fully implement the laws against killing youkai. Youkai and humans now lived in peace, and the whole of Japan was seeing a time of tranquility and prosperity.

Jinenji was on the council with the role of peace ambassador. He oversaw the different parts of the country to report back to the council.

It was how he'd met his wife. Jinenji and his human wife's marriage wasn't unusual; marriages between youkai and humans had become much more common, thus increasing the population of youkai.

It was incredible.

Jinenji filled Inuyasha in on the continued success of the council, and Inuyasha was more than pleased with his report.

After catching up with Jinenji about their personal lives, Inuyasha noticed how late it had gotten. He could see the sun getting close to setting through the window of his office and knew it was about time to leave the castle.

"Oh, man," Inuyasha said. "Jinenji, I'm so sorry, but I have to start packing up my stuff to get home. I'll come visit you next time, alright?"

Jinenji smiled and nodded. "Sounds great. Thanks, Inuyasha."

They bid goodbyes before Jinenji left, leaving Inuyasha to organize the papers on his desk before stretching and standing up. He needed to quickly let Sesshomaru know that he was leaving before he could head out.

Sesshomaru was in his own office, so Inuyasha went straight there.

"Hey," Inuyasha greeted after he'd knocked on the doorframe.

Sesshomaru nodded his greeting. "I take it things went well with Jinenji?"

Inuyasha smiled. "Yep," he replied. "It only took fifteen years after defeating Naraku, but Jinenji says we're finally back to how things were during the peaceful era."

Sesshomaru nodded again. "Excellent. I appreciate you coming on such short notice. I figured you would want to see Jinenji, so when he sent me a note announcing his arrival today, I sent for you."

"I appreciate that," Inuyasha replied. "I have to leave now, though. The girls are expecting me."

"I will see you soon, then," Sesshomaru said. "Please give them my regards." Inuyasha nodded.

"I will," he replied. "See ya, Sessho."

As Inuyasha left the castle, he chuckled to himself. It was amazing how the nickname he'd used to taunt Sesshomaru to the best of his abilities had turned into more of a term of endearment.

He was just grateful he and Sesshomaru had been able to mend their relationship. They weren't exactly chummy, but there was a mutual respect and care between them, so Inuyasha wasn't complaining.

Several years after Sesshomaru's hanyo daughter was born, Asahi gave birth to a hanyo son. Inuyasha usually liked getting able to speak with them about being hanyo, but they were off on a diplomatic errand with Asahi during that particular visit.

Inuyasha knew having two hanyo children had played a pivotal role in the mending of their relationship, and Inuyasha was grateful for it. He also loved his niece and nephew.

But now it was time to get back to his own family.

Inuyasha hurried to where he knew his girls were probably waiting for him.

_They're probably absolute_ prunes _now,_ he thought to himself. _I was at the castle longer than I expected._

Inuyasha shook his head and continued toward the coast.

It felt strange not having to walk through a barrier; it had been down for years now. Humans were free to come and see Sesshomaru as they pleased, which had served to create yet another peaceful path for humans to connect with youkai.

Once Inuyasha reached the marina where the ship was docked, he looked around for some sign of his girls.

He flared his aura to alert them of his presence. The sun was starting to set, but it wasn't dark enough for his vision to be affected.

He saw a flash of blue and silver from just under the surface.

A moment later, two black-haired heads breached and looked up at him.

"Hi, Dad!"

Inuyasha smiled at his daughter.

"Hi, Moroha," he greeted. "Have you and your mom enjoyed your swim?"

His twelve-year-old daughter nodded excitedly. "I can hold my breath for _twenty_ minutes now!"

"That's great!" Inuyasha replied.

Moroha had been born with the ability to transform into a ningyo, but due to the smaller portion of ningyo blood in her, she didn't have gills like Kagome. She could certainly hold her breath long enough to swim long distances, though, so she never complained.

Kagome laughed form beside her daughter. "She had _plenty_ of time to practice," Kagome teased. "I wasn't expecting you to take so long." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"There was a lot of work, woman," he replied good-naturedly. "Things are really good, though, Kagome. Everything has panned out exactly as we'd hoped."

Moroha flicked her silver tail, the same color as Inuyasha's hair, up out of the water to get her parents' attention.

"Does this mean we can have music night to celebrate?" she asked immediately.

Inuyasha laughed. "Sure, it's been so long since we had one. How many days...two? Three maybe?"

Moroha giggled. "Mom says we can never have too many. I agree with her."

Inuyasha smiled. "Well, your mom is usually right." Kagome smirked and started swimming toward the shore.

"Uh-huh," she replied. "And don't you forget it."

Moroha followed her to the marina before they hopped out to sit on the edge. After they'd both transformed into their human forms, Moroha grabbed her parents' hands and started dragging them to the ship.

"Let's get home!" she said happily. "Maybe Dad will do better on the violin tonight!"

Inuyasha and Kagome laughed. After fifteen years, Inuyasha still hadn't mastered the violin. He did pretty well with the flute, though, despite his fangs that sometimes got in the way.

"We'll see," Inuyasha replied. "I'll probably stick with the flute like normal."

Moroha didn't seem bothered as she led them onto the ship.

The number of their crew had dwindled over the years; many of them had been old and passed away. They'd always had respectful services for each one that passed.

It was only Moroha, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo left on the ship aside from roughly ten men from the original crew.

Shippo left the ship every so often to go off for his fox youkai exam, which was where he was that day.

Moroha loved spending time with Shippo to watch him do his kitsune tricks. When he wasn't there, Kagome took her for swims fairly often. It was no kitsune trick, but it was still Moroha's favorite thing to do, along with practicing her swordsmanship and her miko powers.

Once they reached the ship, they all went to grab their instruments before letting the crew know about their plans.

Not too much later, they were all gathered in a circle, ready to begin the night.

The order of their songs changed; they always started with the youkai lullaby rather than ending with it.

Moroha sang along with Kagome, deciding to sing the song rather than play her usual flute like Inuyasha.

When they got to the songs they were just music, she always played to perfection.

Inuyasha and Kagome were exceptionally proud.

Their lives had gotten much brighter since Moroha was born. They'd decided to remain on the ship after she'd been born on the mainland.

"It's only natural that a ningyo be on the water," Kagome had said as she looked over the sea with the newborn Moroha settled in her arms.

Inuyasha looked at his daughter as she played her flute next to Kagome playing her usual cello.

He loved his life. He truly did.

"Alright, time for the grand finale!" Moroha announced excitedly.

Kagome smiled and set her cello down; Moroha mirrored her, laying her flute on her lap to join her mother in singing.

This was the only song Inuyasha joined them in singing, as well as the rest of the crew.

The song, which had been deemed _The Captain and the Hanyo,_ was the song of their legacy that had been passed down through the years. It had circled the country to the point that nearly everyone had heard it and knew the story of Inuyasha and Kagome.

The string-playing crew continued playing their instruments as they sang, and with a final smiling glance exchanged between Inuyasha and his girls, they began to sing.

" _Darkness came before the light could glow,_

_The change came with resounding cry,_

_The Captain and the Hanyo._

_A legacy of light from the destruction of the Shikon,_

_The double-edged life of the miko and the youkai,_

_The Captain and the Hanyo._

_Darkness will submit as the light will grow,_

_And illuminate the sky,_

_The Captain and the Hanyo._

_Bathed in light and peace for all to know,_

_Tranquil rest has come and will never go,_

_The Captain and the Hanyo._

_Oh, the Captain and the Hanyo."_

When they sang the last line, Inuyasha smiled.

They had turned the completed prophecy into what would always be known as their legacy.

The peace was their legacy.

The prosperity was their legacy.

Moroha was their legacy with her name, _double-edged_ , coming straight from their song.

And as they continued traveling and fulfilling their roles as bringers of peace, Inuyasha knew their lives could only improve from there.

All because of the captain and the hanyo.

FIN.


End file.
